Souken no Shibun
by JadeAnime
Summary: A mysterious philosophy, an assassination plot, and four people who are the key to it all. (Ugh... I'm over-dramatizing again. -_-;)
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer****: ** Unfortunately, I don't own Kenshin. But one can always dream, ne? As for anyone not belonging to the original RK universe, they're mine! Mind, body, and soul! And I can make them do tricks! Whee!

**Warning****:**  This is not only my first RK fanfic, it's my _first_ fanfic. Be prepared for bad humor, bad grammar, bad spelling, and worse plot ideas! Mwahahahaha! None shall escape my evil!

Souken no Shibun 

Prologue

Time.

It kept slipping away.

Away from her.

She didn't know how or why.

It just did.

Seconds into minutes.

Minutes into hours.

Hours into days.

And always without her noticing.

She sat down to breakfast sometimes to find the food had long since gone cold. It seemed today would be no exception.

Half the day had already passed.

She sighed, annoyed with the increasing frequency and length of these episodes. Thankfully, she lived in the middle of a forest where no one was around to speculate on her strange behavior. Due to how rarely the incidences had occurred before, she had simply ignored them, assuming to be moments that her mind had wondered. Yet, she could never recall what she'd been thinking.

Now though, in light of recent events, she began to wonder. On a recent trip into town for supplies, she had come across some disturbing news. Her 'other half' was on the move. She didn't know why she called him that or even why she felt compelled to keep tabs on him. She couldn't explain it and she didn't care enough to try. Perhaps it was the latest developments with 'him' that was the cause behind her increasing episodes. The timing seemed right.

'_Timing…_' She growled at her mind's attempt to make light of the situation. She picked up her chopsticks and poked at her food, re-focusing her mind on the matter at hand. The information she'd gathered from her various contacts was sketchy at best, but it was nevertheless important. Some seemingly random events had been occurring across Japan for the past 6 years, but when using her 'other half' as a center for it all, a pattern emerged.

And it wasn't a pretty picture.

If she was right, the government was in danger and lots of important people were about to end up dead. Very dead. And more than likely no one would put all the information together in time to stop him. Which, of course, meant it was up to her to play hero and save the day. She wrinkled her nose at the thought as she shoved some rice in her mouth. For some reason, the idea of purposely getting herself mixed up in the whole sordid affair seemed less the appealing. Possibly facing off with that man made it even more so. Yet another in a long list of things she didn't understand.

Her mind rejected the very idea of revealing herself to him. In fact, it even rebelled against her weekly supply runs, but she ignored the warnings. Considering the strength of her feelings in this case, perhaps it was best they were heeded. And yet, there was this nagging sense of responsibility. '_Perhaps I can get off by simply warning those targeted_,' she mused, clearing the remains of her breakfast. '_Surely they could take it from there, right?_'

Decision made, she proceeded to pack a few changes of clothes and what little money she had. Grabbing the paper the informant had slipped her, she headed out the door. Of course, now she had to decide where to go first. Might as well start at the top of the list, as the saying went. '_Literally_,' she thought dryly, scanning over the names scribbled onto the crinkled rice paper. Turning south, she stuffed it into the pocket of her sleeve.

First stop: one Himura Kenshin.

Japanese terms

Souken no Shibun:  The Four Parts of Creation/ Creation's Four Parts (something like that)

A/N:  *giggling insanely* Yes, this is indeed the fruit of too much sugar and too little sleep… but I will persevere and create a plot, not just nameless people out to maul poor Kenshin! Anyways…

*anxiously chews on her lip* So… what do you think? Is it worth continuing? Or should I give it up and go back to drooling over everyone else's writing?

And before anybody asks (not saying they will, but just in case), the girl and her 'other half' were meant to remain nameless. This is so that later on when they do come in, I might be rewarded with pandemonium as I confuse and delight you! Mwahaha!

Review and I'll give you this imaginary cookie and a pat on the back for being so magnanimous and kind! Flame me if you must, but let me warn you… fire is my friend. *smiles sweetly*

And thanks go out to Hazu for pre-reading! You have my eternal gratitude, even if I myself am not!


	2. Just Another Day?

**Disclaimer****:**  You can't sue me, cause I don't claim Kenshin. Although, it is on my wish list for Christmas…

**Warning****:**  Look Mommy! There's people!

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**Souken no Shibun**

Just Another Day?

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It was yet another warm, peaceful day at the Kamiya dojo, as a cool breeze wafted through, blowing hair into a familiar redhead's violet eyes. Pushing it back, Kenshin pinned up the last of the day's laundry and smiled contentedly, always treasuring the times when he wasn't defending against revenge seekers or rescuing his beloved Kaoru from psychopaths. As if on cue, a cry split the air. Kenshin looked towards the dojo, a questioning "oro" issuing forth. This was answered shortly with the sound of laughter.

"Have a nice trip, busu?"

This was quickly followed by the sound of a grunt and a shinai snapping in half. The small thud informed Kenshin that Yahiko was probably going to need a cool washcloth very soon. This assumption was only further strengthened as Kaoru's head popped out of the door and spied him. She smiled nervously and rubbed the back of her head. "Kenshin, I think I hit him too hard again…" She sweatdropped. "Could you…?" she trailed off, seeing him nodding.

"Hai, Kaoru-dono. Sessha will get him a washcloth, de gozaru."

She gave him a sweet smile, one that always seem to turn his insides to mush, and disappeared back inside. He grinned in spite of Yahiko's current state of unconscious, delighting in yet another day spent in normalcy and knowing full well the boy would be fine. He'd be back on his feet and insulting his teacher again, prompting another beating to be issued.

It had been a few months since anyone had tried to tear their family apart for some reason or another. The only strange thing to happen recently had been Kaoru's increasing willingness to resort to violence, more than likely born out of frustration over something. He admitted to himself that the 'something' might be him and his stubborn refusal to accept her obvious feelings for him. It wasn't that he thought he could protect by ignoring the possibilities. That had already been proven painfully wrong thanks to Enishi. And while he still thought himself horribly unworthy of her, he finally decided not to let that stand in his way.

So what did that leave? The courage to tell her. He, the feared Hitokiri Battousai of the Bakumatsu, couldn't bring himself to say three simple words that would make his life deliriously happy. He was afraid of being rejected, of finding out that he had only imagined her feelings for him all along. It was that possible rejection that he couldn't handle. So he went on, day after day, doing the household chores and continuing to treat her as one would a dear friend.

Then again, he could be wrong and it could be something entirely different. He smiled airily as he retrieved a cloth from the house and dipped it in some water. She could just be upset over Yahiko's growing refusal to listen to her, or Sano's strange disappearance two weeks ago, or even Megumi's teasing.

Yahiko was just growing up and as most teenagers seem to think, he assumed he was old enough to decide what was best for him. Not that it was unusual for Yahiko to think like that, he was just being louder about it.

Megumi was simply down for a visit. Or at least that was what she claimed. Kenshin thought it had more to with Sano's disappearance. She had opted to stay with Doctor Genzai and his granddaughters.

Sano, on the other hand, was a mystery.

******************************************************

Everything had seemed normal. He mooched at mealtimes and poked fun at the other two. That was until the night before his disappearance. He still bummed dinner off of Kaoru, but he was quiet, withdrawn. This worried the others, though not overly. Kaoru and Yahiko were convinced the gangster was just sulking from a recent rejection by the lady doctor. And although Kenshin was inclined to think the same, he felt he should ask his friend rather than assume. So after dinner, he'd sat on the porch with Sano, whom was looking solemnly at the stars.

Sano ignored Kenshin, continuing to chew on a fishbone that had apparently appeared from nowhere, considering they'd had nikujaga that night. Kenshin was content to wait until Sano was ready to talk and bided his time mulling over the events of dinner.

Kenshin had found some recipe cards earlier that day while cleaning. They had apparently belonged to Kaoru's late mother. Kaoru had a slightly mixed reaction to their discovery. She was over-joyed, but he could tell she was also saddened at the reminder of her mother. Kenshin offered to cook something from them in hopes of chasing that bit of sadness from Kaoru's eyes. Everyone thought it was delicious, especially Kaoru. Yet Sano's only comment on it was a guttural sound when Yahiko elbowed him. This, of course, had prompted an insulted reaction from Kaoru who immediately took up arms against the offending man. Yahiko nearly choked on his food, laughing so hard at the cringing gangster. Kenshin just sweat-dropped and tried to calm Kaoru down.

Grumbling pulled him from his reverie and he returned his attention to Sano, who had apparently found that the ground beneath his feet was more interesting than the stars. "Something's happening."

Kenshin blinked, the confusion on his face quite real. "What are you talking about, de gozaru ka?"

Sano narrowed his eyes at the ground. "Something's going on in the underground and it's got everyone connected with it edgy. I've tried finding out just what that is, but…" Sano sighed and shook his head. "I haven't been able to find anyone willing to tell me just what 'it' is."

Kenshin's eyes hardened slightly. If this had Sano worried, then it might eventually affect them. And coming from the underground meant it would more than likely be a threat to their happiness. And Kenshin did not take threats to his family lightly.

Sano stood, and looking back down at Kenshin, pulled the fishbone from his mouth. "Just keep an eye out."

Kenshin smiled reassuringly. "Of course."

Sano stretched, wincing slightly, and muttered something colorful about rabid tanukis under his breath as he made his way out of the yard. "See ya, Kenshin."

"Goodnight, Sano."

******************************************************

That had been two weeks ago. Kenshin had apparently been the last one to see him and there'd been no word since. Although it worried Kenshin, Sano was more than capable of taking care of himself. Kaoru could only comment on how much money they saved without him around, though he knew both she and Yahiko were worried too.

Popping his head into the dojo, Kenshin saw Kaoru already lecturing a still dazed Yahiko. He stepped the rest of the way in to save Yahiko from further violence when the youth took up glaring at his angry teacher. "I have the washcloth you wanted, Kaoru-dono."

She immediately quieted and smiled brightly at him. "Thanks, Kenshin." Taking it, she dropped it on Yahiko's head as she passed him on her way to put the remaining shinai up. "That's it for today, but you're giving me an extra 500 swings tomorrow. You got that, Yahiko-chan?"

"Don't call me chan!!" Yahiko yanked the cloth off his head and stood up, glaring angrily at the shihondai.

"Maa, maa…" Kenshin tried to sooth. Then an idea struck him. "Kaoru-dono's birthday is tomorrow, so why don't we start the celebrations early? Sessha will treat you to dinner at the Akabeko, de gozaru." He smiled, hoping the offer would help alleviate at least a little of the tension that had been building up around the dojo for days.

Yahiko grinned and clapped Kenshin on the shoulder. "You know, that's the best idea I've heard all day, Kenshin."

Kaoru blinked. "It does sound nice. But where are you going to get the money, Kenshin?"

Kenshin's eye twitched slightly at the (hopefully) unintended insult, but caught himself before anyone noticed. "No need to worry about that, Kaoru-dono. I have some saved from when I was paid to help with that police case a month ago, de gozaru yo."

Kaoru arched an eyebrow, leading Kenshin to think maybe he should have left that last part out. It wasn't that he didn't want to help Kaoru out with the bills. He had saved the money specifically for her birthday. Seeing as he had already bought her present, he certainly didn't mind spending what was left on dinner.

Her eyebrow slowly inched back down, as she refrained from violently hurting him through what he was sure was sheer strength of will, and consented. "Alright. After Yahiko and I get cleaned up, we can go."

Yahiko made a face, but didn't argue the point. He simply muttered something under his breath about stupid busus and hen-pecked rurounis, and headed towards the house to change.

******************************************************

Slender fingers reached forward, slowly flipping over a card from its deck and placing it on one of several stacks. The pale hand reached for the next card but stopped short, as the sound of hurried footsteps neared the room. A few shouts of alarm and some surprised grunts also announced the approaching visitor. The footsteps stopped outside the door and the flickering of the candles was the only other warning given as the shoji was thrown open. In stepped a worn, travel weary man of about 30 winters, hunched over and breathing heavily. The visitor of black hair and eyes momentarily loosened his grip on his sheathed katana upon seeing the room's sole occupant.

In the room's center, a vision of unparalleled beauty was seated comfortably on a large cushion, calmly observing him. Flowing silver hair cascaded down in waves, framing an angled feminine face. A friendly smile appeared as an arm came up, gesturing for the man to have a seat. Closed eyes lined with thick, black lashes seemed to watch the newcomer's every move as he slowly came forward and kneeled. Head bowed respectfully, the dark-haired man finally spoke. "Hanagiri Tetsuya, reporting."

Tetsuya looked up at the sound of shifting cloth, staring straight into a pair of piercing blood-red eyes. Those of the lower ranks always wondered if that was simply an illusion created by the candlelight, himself included. However, he didn't allow himself to stare for long, knowing all too well the hypnotic effects those eyes could have and did his best to keep thoughts of that particularly gruesome event from surfacing. A mistake made by a dead fool best forgotten. After that day, no one dared mistake the silver-haired beauty for a woman again, the dangers or doing so forever imprinted on their minds.

Movement drew Tetsuya's gaze downward once more and he noticed, for the first time, the cards that lay there, hidden in shadow. Red eyes flicked down as well, quickly scanning the cards. Pale fingers brushed lightly over the newly placed card. "Le Morte… Death," the silver-haired one whispered quietly, a strange lilt to his voice. "It seems you will be leaving us soon. I pray it be painlessly."

Tetsuya paled slightly. The other's rosy smile never faltered though. Another card was slipped over, snapping Tetsuya out of his imaginings over the statement's implications.

The younger man bowed his head, long bangs hiding his eyes from view as the smile slipped from his face. "Your report?"

The dark-haired man nodded and began. He soon became more than a little confused at the lack of reaction to his words. The other seemed more focused on smoothing the wrinkles out of his silk yukata, apparently unconcerned with the disturbing news brought forth by the messenger. It was well known throughout the organization that when the young master made a plan, it simply _did not_ fail. However a portion of his latest plan had done just that, yet the silver-haired man hadn't so much as flinched when informed. In fact, he seemed downright indifferent. Tetsuya paused, an eyebrow cocked inquisitively. "Sir?"

The man in question just waved a hand in his subordinate's direction. "Continue your report," he commanded quietly, his cool tenor sounding increasingly bored. As if on cue, he lightly yawned.

The messenger fidgeted nervously a moment before continuing. The sound of yet another card being flipped over filled the room. Before Tetsuya let his mind wander too far, thinking about those cards, he cleared his throat and began again. "As I said, all attempts to place an operative within Tokyo's city government, as we have done with several other major cities, has failed. It appears every one of them met with…" he paused, stealing a glance at his master's expression, "unfortunate accidents, soon after entering the city."

'_Accidents, indeed_,' Tetsuya thought sourly. One had apparently fallen on his own sword and bled to death. Another had fallen into a pit, and unable to climb out, had died of starvation and dehydration. They had easily found the man two weeks later by his smell… The most recent one had somehow been drugged; then, being that the poor man looked rather girlish, he was sold to some nearby yakuza as… entertainment. There was, as yet, still no sign of that one, but they didn't hold much hope for his return.

Strange though, how all this seem to amuse the young master rather than upset him, if his ever-widening smile was any hint.

The messenger's hands nervously picked at his gi as he continued to watch the other man's reactions. Though the younger man's wrath was brutal and unforgiving, he was not prone to random acts of violence or angry outbursts. Quite the contrary. When one came to call on him, they were greeted warmly. When it came to business matters, he seemed cool and collected, displaying an emotionless fervor. And it was for the latter reason that Tetsuya's fear began to climb to uncontrollable heights. For even as he continued, the amused expression never left the other man's face.

"Master Jonah originally thought it to be the handiwork of one of your many rivals, my lord. He soon discarded the idea though, for it would be impossible for them to have known the identities of _all_ the agents. It was also discounted due to the recent discovery of thefts that have been plaguing the area." Tetsuya swallowed hard after finishing his report, desperately trying not to wet himself as the silver-haired man began chuckling quietly.

"So, the Spirit has returned…"

'_Too late_,' the messenger thought dejectedly, excusing himself to retrieve a clean pair of pants. The younger man simply shook his head and returned to his game of solitaire.

******************************************************

A sandaled foot stomped impatiently for the upteenth time that hour.

Michika readjusted the pack on her back and looked around. There, on her right, was the tree she had marked on her last trip through this same clearing just minutes before. She yanked on the long bangs that hung down the side of her face and cursed (again) her stupidity. She should have known better than to take directions from that idiot chicken-head. And now she was lost in the middle of nowhere with no map, no food, and very little water.

Being the incredibly beautiful and smart woman that she was, she had no doubt that she'd eventually make it out of there. In the meantime though, going around in circles was annoying as hell. Especially when you were in a cumbersome kimono. Beautiful as they could be, they simply were not meant for long periods of travel. Noting several tears with distaste, she plopped down against the marked tree and tried to plan her next move.

Considering her decent ability to track, one would think she'd have been out of here already. But she'd allowed that skill to waste away over the past two years and what she could remember, namely marking the path you'd already taken, was obviously useless. It wasn't like tracking was a main point of her training anyways. That had been her sister's thing. Michika was the chosen soldier of the group, so her training consisted of things like weapons use, fighting styles, and battle strategies.

Not to say that she couldn't normally find her way around. She did travel Japan by herself for a year once. She admitted to herself though that it was spent mostly on well-traveled roads with signs to point her in the right direction. She'd never bothered to cut through forests or tread mountain paths. She'd never had the need or desire to. Besides, those were the places that the undesirables of society generally used as their station of attack against the more respectable citizens who were foolish enough to wander too far.

Which led to the question: why did she? Easily answered if one knew her purpose. Not her 'chosen' purpose perhaps, but hers nevertheless. And thus she had partnered herself with a man a month or two ago to further that purpose. A man with connections to the underground. A man who turned out to be a bumbling idiot and mooched off of her whenever he appeared on her doorstep. Or at least that was how he appeared to her. He did make good on those promises of connections though and she was grateful. It allowed her to keep an eye on certain people that might hinder her.

In return for his services (apparently he hadn't considered the food he took from her restaurant suffice payment), he wanted her to warn some friends of his in Tokyo should something happen to him.

Strangely, he disappeared two weeks ago…

A nearby creaking sound snapped her out of her thoughts and she stood, reassessing her surroundings. Finding nothing immediately out of place, she stalked forward, silent and cat-like, scanning for any disturbances.

The creak came again, but this time it brought with it a sense of relief as Michika realized it was the wheels of a cart making that sound. She followed it to its source and happened upon an old man and his equally aged cart of vegetables.

The wrinkled old man was visibly surprised to see a young woman, her kimono torn and dirty, jump out of the bushes, but he was even more so when she knocked him to ground, hugging him and offering several words of gratitude for saving her in her moment of need. At some point, she even exclaimed him to be the most handsome man she'd even seen.

The old man reproachfully arched an eyebrow at the comment and the woman's behavior. Flicking away some of her long, light brown hair that had gotten in his face, he gently pushed her off and stood, brushing his clothes off. She apparently had done the same, though it didn't much help considering her current state of dress. "There something I can help you with, young lady?"

Far be it from Michika to admit she could ever be wrong, she turned her soulful cerulean eyes on him, tearing up and gave him the most pathetic look she could. "There were these men…" She sniffed for show. "…And they were chasing me…" At this point she bursts into tears, throwing the old man into a state of bewilderment. He did his best to calm her, assuring her that there was no one around to hurt her.

Michika smirked inwardly at her deception, but gave the old man a truly appreciative smile. She really was grateful to him. His passing had saved her from more endless circling around that damn clearing. "You wouldn't happen to know which way Tokyo is would you? I was heading there from Yokohama to visit some family when…" She started sniffling again, earning her a sympathetic look.

He pointed down the road. "It's another day's walk northeast along this road. I can accompany you if you like. I'm heading there myself."

Michika nodded and waited on him to retrieve his cart. Well, at least she wouldn't get lost again. She could warn the chicken-head's friends and still make it to her destination before the week was up. And maybe while she was there, she could wheedle some money out his friends in payment for all her food he ate. She was sure that if the chicken-head hadn't disappeared when he had, the man would've put her in debt.

She had to admit, she was curious about these supposed friends. She hadn't bothered checking up on those people that had been surrounding him since his retirement from being a mercenary. Were they simply gambling buddies? No, she decided, thinking back to the few times he had mentioned them. When he did speak of them, it was as if he was talking of family. Which would explain why he spoke of them so rarely. Having such a weakness overheard by the wrong the people wouldn't bode well for those spoken of. And she knew how it felt, to worry that even the one time you let such things slip, those you cared about would be dead upon your return. She understood, and so never asked about them.

Still, how would the friends of the former Zanza greet her?

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**Japanese terms**

Souken no Shibun:  The Four Parts of Creation

Busu:  ugly

Shinai:  a training sword (bamboo)

Sessha:  this unworthy one

Tanuki: raccoon

Shihondai: assistant master

Yukata: robe 

**A/N: ** Please feel free to speak up if you think I've gotten any of them horribly out of character. I just hate it when that happens… and it's currently my worst fear. *blinks* Well, next to rampaging chocolate bunnies, that is. *sweatdrops*

*clears her throat* Alrighty, just so the newcomers know, this is actually a more... 'compact' version of the story. *sweatdrops* I was told the number of chapters was intimidating. So to make it seem a little less so, I've done this... *points up at chapter* This used to be chapters 2-4... *shrugs* I only write about a thousand words per chappie. 

And lots of thanks go out to those wonderful people who reviewed thus far!

And yes, I like to ramble… and making sense is for pansies! Mwahaha! (just kidding)

See everyone next chapter and thanks for reading! Oh, and I'll reserve a lunar vacation for those who review! The moon seems like a nice, quiet place to go…

And thanks again to Hazu and Pissy Abyssinian for pre-reading.  : )


	3. Nighttime Activities

**Disclaimer****:**  *points at an RK logo* I disclaim this… *points at a Trigun logo* I disclaim that… *points off in random direction* And then there's that…

**Warning****:**  Uh, more cussing? It's never much and not that bad though… And again, I don't how good this chappie is. After sitting down to write it, me and the chappie had a good hour long staring contest before I managed to get anything done… and then we had tea.

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**Souken no Shibun**

Nighttime Activities

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"So have you heard you guys heard about news?"

Kaoru blinked up at Tae, sliding her chopsticks from her mouth, and swallowed. "What news? Has something happened?"

Tae's brow furrowed. "With the way you guys attract trouble, I figured you'd have been involved in it… or at least known of it. No offense, Kaoru honey."

Kenshin's shoulders sagged imperceptibly as he looked up from his spot next to Kaoru, who just smiled and waved a hand dismissively. "None taken. Now, what's been going on that would make you think we would be involved?"

Seeing as it was a rather slow night for the Akabeko, Tae went ahead and took the empty seat next to Yahiko. "Well, you remember those robberies that Kenshin here helped put an end to? Well, apparently, the man caught, although a thief, wasn't the one the police were looking for after all. Or at least that's the rumor, because the burglaries have started again and that guy's still in jail." She paused dramatically. "They know it's the same one, because the signature mark of the thief was found inside the house." Tae looked on sadly. "And it seems the thief is branching out."

Kenshin lowered his chopsticks and narrowed his eyes slightly. "What do you mean, Tae-dono?"

Tae leaned back in the booth, shivering slightly. "There've been several murders… it's been said they were rather… disturbing." Tae shook her head, as if clearing it of the thoughts. A bell chimed announcing more customers and Tae smiled weakly. "Well, looks like I've gotta get back to work. You guys take care now." With that, she disappeared into the kitchen.

Yahiko, who had been strangely quiet throughout, regarded a thoughtful Kenshin. "So what do you think?"

Kenshin shook his head. It didn't seem to fit. When he had worked on that case, there hadn't been any sense of malice from the sites. In fact, now that he that he thought about it, he hadn't sensed much of anything. He had just assumed it was because the thief wasn't trained to fight. But if it were true that the thief was still at large and had taken to killing… Well, the man obviously had some ability to be able to elude both him and the police. And now Kenshin felt the wonderful weight of responsibility for those deaths settle nicely upon his shoulders. If he had only been more careful, paid a little more attention to the clues, he could have found the true thief and none of those people would be dead. The families of the dead wouldn't be mourni-

That train of thought was immediately ceased when a rather blunt object slammed into his head at high speed courtesy of Kaoru. "Kenshin no baka!" She had been silently watching him since Tae left. His shoulders had slumped more and more as the minutes had passed. She knew exactly what was going through the damn head of his and every time he sunk just a little further into the seat, she felt the inexorable urge to hit him. So she did. Nothing new there. As she set the plate down, she glared at Yahiko who had begun to snicker at the swirly-eyed rurouni. She sat back and stuffed some sushi into her mouth, waiting for the redhead to return to his senses.

Yahiko, on the other hand, took full advantage of this chance and began snatching food off the senseless rurouni's plate when Kaoru turned away. Kenshin would be too busy sulking and getting lectured to eat, so Yahiko thought he might as well be generous and help the man clean his plate. He grinned. _How thoughtful of me…_

Kaoru pulled her shawl from around her shoulder and, placing it next to her, turned to the recovering Kenshin. "It's hardly your fault, Kenshin. Besides, you did catch **a** thief after all, even if it wasn't **the** thief. So don't be so hard on yourself."

Kenshin rubbed the currently forming lump on his head and pouted. "But Kaoru-dono, if sessha had caught the right one, then those people would still be alive."

Kaoru frowned, not only because of Kenshin's statement, but because she finally caught Yahiko stealing his food out of the corner of her eye. At his next attempt, she snapped her chopsticks across the back of his hand. A satisfied smirk settled on her features when she was rewarded with a yelp from the young teen. "Nonsense. Who's to say that the thief you caught wouldn't have done the same thing?"

"Sessha does not think…"

The tip of a rather dangerous seeming chopstick suddenly found itself pointed right between a pair of violet eyes. "You're always blaming yourself for things you don't have control over and I won't have it. Not this time. Understood?"

Kenshin gulped and smiled nervously. "P-perfectly, Kaoru-dono."

She withdrew the slim piece of wood and waved it in the air. "Besides, knowing those idiot police, they'll probably be knocking down the door tomorrow to ask for your help again. I mean if this guy managed to get away from them before, surely he'd be able to do it again, ne?" She returned her attention to her food. "So, for now, relax." She speared a piece of meat before looking meaningfully at him. "Or else…"

Kenshin nodded slowly, careful so as not to make any sudden movements that would startle her into a violent reflex. Wisely ignoring the curses Yahiko was muttering yet again against stupid busus and hen-pecked rurounis, he reached his own chopsticks down to grab a piece of food, only find to his plate strangely empty…

******************************************************

The walk home from the Akabeko was uneventful, filled with a comfortable silence as Kenshin and the other two plodded home. Kaoru and Yahiko both looked dead on their feet. Not that he could blame them.  With the warm food already settling in his stomach, even he was starting to feel tired. He'd nearly pushed the murders to the back of his mind and was quite content to ponder the moon hanging above than to mull over the thief.

Indeed, he was quite happy simply wondering over whether Kaoru glowed more brilliantly under the warm sun or the mysterious moon. It depended on what kind of mood one was in, he supposed. She was beautiful no matter what as far as he was concerned. But looking at her now and the way the silver light shifted upon her hair as she walked, he felt that perhaps she was at her most beautiful when the moon was her companion. Watching her walk beside Yahiko, she seemed almost ethereal and impossibly mesmerizing. So mesmerizing in fact that he never noticed he was veering off the road and heading straight for a wall… That is, until he ran into it. "Oro!"

This caught the attention of the other two who turned back to investigate. They both stared down at the swirly-eyed rurouni, not quite comprehending what had happened. Then at the same time, almost as if someone had hit them with the Great Bokken of Realization, their eyes widened and the delayed reactions kicked in. Kaoru raced to Kenshin's side to see if he was hurt, fussing over imagined pains as the redhead muttered indistinguishable replies. Yahiko, knowing Kenshin had been staring at Kaoru for a while and guessing that had caused the accident, was too busy rolling on the ground laughing to worry about Kenshin's bruised nose. Kaoru shot him a death glare, but he paid it no mind, as she was too busy with the dazed rurouni to follow through on the threat.

Kenshin shook his head free of the haze and shakily stood up. "Sessha does not think he will be doing that again anytime soon, de gozaru yo…"

This only caused Yahiko, who was already going blue from lack of oxygen, to laugh even harder. Kaoru frowned but deciding to punish him later for it, returned her attention once again to Kenshin.

"Are you alright, Kenshin?"

He nodded sheepishly. "Hai, Kaoru-dono. Sessha is fine. But perhaps we should hurry home. It's getting late and I would not like to make friends with any more walls tonight." He watched her eyes light up with amusement as she giggled. In the background, Yahiko had only just managed to pause and catch a breath when that last statement threw him into another fit of hysterical laughter. Mentally, Kenshin was strangling the kid. Outwardly, he just walked over and picked the boy up by the back of the pants and smiled back at Kaoru. "Shall we go?"

A few minutes later, Yahiko's laughter had died down and he hung limply from Kenshin's grip. He turned the kid slightly to study his slackened features and smiled at Kaoru. "Looks like he finally wore himself out, de gozaru."

Kaoru gave a rather unlady-like snort. "About time. That braying of his could've woken the dead. I'm surprised there wasn't anyone throwing things at us." She sighed and smiled sadly. "But I have to admit, it was nice to hear him laugh again…"

Kenshin silently agreed with the comment. Overall, dinner had gone well and the three had almost seemed themselves again. Kenshin was lamenting his unworthiness, Kaoru was joyfully violent, and Yahiko seemed more like the kid he was supposed to be. He only wished that feeling could carry over until their world was somehow righted, but he knew better than to expect that. If anything, the three would merely grow accustomed to the emptiness in their hearts and routinely trudge through each day as best they could. Both Kaoru and Kenshin hesitated a moment as they reached the dojo gates. The sad eyes that Kaoru now turned to him though were breaking his heart. He didn't want Yahiko and Kaoru to grow accustomed to the sadness brought on by Sano's disappearance. He wanted their hearts to be full and happy. The sadness in her eyes receded as she blushed under his intense gaze. Perhaps there was a way…

Before he realized what he was doing, his mouth was already working in preparation for saying those things that were locked away so tightly in his heart. "Kaoru-dono, sessha was wondering…" Then his head caught up and quickly snapped shut the traitorous body part. Sadly, he could already see the hope building in her eyes, but as much joy as saying those words might bring, it was not a solution to the problem. Besides, he wouldn't feel right placing the burden of his feelings upon her right now. The matters of Sano's disappearance and the thief needed to be solved before he could feel like he wasn't just using her to make himself feel better. After everything she had done for him, Kaoru deserved better than that.

"What is it, Kenshin?"

Kenshin blinked, realizing he was still staring at Kaoru and still needed to find some other way of finishing the sentence his voice had stubbornly started. He searched the recesses of his mind frantically for something, anything he could say in the stead of his confession. At first, nothing presented itself and he began to mentally panic. Every response his mind had managed to come up with thus far was either too far off the wall and would worry her as to his mental state, or would upset her and put him on the receiving end of a rather nasty punch to the face. At this point, he couldn't decide which was more positive prospect: Kaoru thinking he was crazy as a loon, or having to deal with a sore jaw the rest of the night.

'Oh, I was just wondering if I'd look pretty dressed as a woman.' Ok, so the crazy response was out. He didn't even want to contemplate where that one had come from. There are some things men just shouldn't do and dressing as a woman was definitely high on that list. Although, he supposed, if his hair was done just right and he wore that rather nice blue kimono of Kaoru's… _NO!_ he mentally screamed and shivered inwardly. Definitely not the crazy response. Especially when it might prove true…

So that only left the painful route.

'How is it, that when you were cooking lunch today, you managed to poison all six fish that I caught?' Oh, that was surely going to be one hell of a punch. He'd probably feel it for weeks afterward. And although Kenshin was no stranger to pain, he'd rather not purposely incur it upon his being. Besides, he felt appalled that his mind would even come up with such a rude comment. Even if it was true… He just wanted to finish the damn sentence, not throw the poor girl into tears. Surely, there was an acceptable response. He just needed to think harder. And then his mind finally snagged on something worthy of being called 'suitable'.

"Kaoru-dono, what happened to your shawl, de gozaru ka?"

******************************************************

Empty.

Quiet.

Peaceful.

Everything in the area seemed to be at rest. Most people were tucking themselves into bed, or soon would be, leaving city streets and fields seemingly devoid of life. The forests on the outskirts of Tokyo too were quiet except for the chirp of crickets and perhaps a few animal calls. The dark foliage seemed to shrink away from the fading light of the city as if afraid it. Which, if true, would be understandable considering that light was generated by fires that could easily consume the plant-life, leaving behind nothing but charred cinders and burned animal carcasses.

A warm wind whispered through the dark trees, accompanied only by the sound of near silent footfalls. A shadow passed down a disused game path, more concerned at the moment with speed than stealth. Although the shadow would have much preferred stealth so that none would know of its passing, they couldn't afford the extra seconds it would take. There was little time as it was.

Besides, what fun would it be if their pursuers lost track of them? With a loud thunk, a kunai imbedded itself in a tree just above the figure's head and a smirk found its way onto the shadow's face. _The poor bastards can't even aim properly…_ The figure paused long enough to rip the kunai from the tree and threw it back into darkness, being rewarded with a hiss as it found its target. _One down, more to go._ Taking off at top speed, the shadow crashed through foliage as if it weren't there. It was soon followed by several others shadows, though the newcomers had a harder time passing through the same areas the other had trekked with ease. A couple of the pursuers who lagged behind had lost their way, and what would surely be their lives, to the darkness of the woods.

This left the first with only a few men left to the chase. Not bad for the runner considering the attackers had originally numbered around ten or fifteen.

******************************************************

Meanwhile, another trudged through the same forest, albeit a little more slowly and certainly a lot more quietly. But then this person was not only closer to Tokyo, but had the advantage of not being chased. Being thus, she was able to take the main road without fear of being harassed, which also tended to make travel a lot easier.

Munching on a rice cake she'd brought with her, Hisakata Kyouki found that she was rather enjoying her trip. She'd never really been one inclined to travel, but she certainly didn't mind it. Especially on nights like this. The road was deserted, the air was comfortably warm, and everything around her was peacefully quiet. She counted herself lucky, as she had not had any trouble since setting out from her tiny shack. This fact made her slightly wary for some reason, but other than that, she felt completely relaxed. Although she'd never traveled to Tokyo before, she apparently knew the way and had yet to run into the usual scoundrels that roamed such roads.

_Maybe they're all on vacation_, she thought sarcastically. More than likely they'd already pilfered a rather tidy sum from some poor traveler earlier and decided to go celebrate. Whatever the reason, Kyouki was grateful, though she did admit to feeling some pity for the victim.

However, it wasn't nearly enough to detract from her good mood. Something about the night always made her feel more comfortable, safe somehow, despite the ruffians who tended to lurk in the darkness it provided. The moonlight that cast down and shone between the canopies above her gave the woods a mysterious aura, one that somehow set her heart fluttering and sent adrenaline through her veins. Something about the shadows called to her, almost as if she belonged there amongst the murderers and thieves, yet would somehow be above them.

It was a strange thought. For as long as Kyouki could remember, she'd always been a law-abiding citizen even if she'd never taken an active role in society. What place did a recluse and a painter have among the lowlives of the world? It didn't make any sense. But to melt into shadows and become one with the darkness, it felt like it was something she'd been longing to do for years now.

A very strange thought indeed.

******************************************************

Those that had trailed the shadowed figure had finally been disposed of, the last having tripped and cracking his head against a tree. The runner hoped the men stayed 'disposed' of. Taking life unnecessarily just didn't hold any appeal.

Besides, completing this task was too important to dawdle around here just to play with the likes of those amateurs. It was a wonder those idiots had managed to keep up that long. The Nentou must have been slipping if he actually thought such weaklings would work. Then again, he was the Nentou, a strategist among strategists, as it were. It was highly possible that those bumbling fools were merely a distraction, nothing more. They were sent to slow one down, not stop a target.

In which case meant speed was even more of priority than ever. But taking the roads still wasn't a good idea. The game trail was still the best choice at this point, as the trees would allow for some cover should there be another attack.

The shadow suddenly blinked in surprise as they passed beyond the trees out into an open field. Apparently, more time had passed than they had originally thought. Wandering a little further, the figure found that they were on a hill over-looking the city of Tokyo. Looking west, to the main road, they saw a lone figure entering the quiet town, and although it was unusual, thought nothing more of it.

A growling sound erupted from the figure and they visibly sweatdropped. "Guess it's time to eat…" Heading into town, he wondered if his counter-part still looked as girly as he used to… and whether there was a restaurant open this time of night, cause they sure as hell weren't cooking their own food.__

_I'd rather starve!_

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**Japanese terms**

Souken no Shibun:  The Four Parts of Creation

Baka: Idiot

Busu:  ugly

Sessha:  this unworthy one

Bokken: wooden sword

**A/N: ** *glares at the story* We had words… it finally let me finish typing it. And I've only had a little sugar. Honest.

On another note, Yahoo refuses to let me into my email, so I've switched the one on my bio to my Netscape account. That account's nice to me. *nods, nods*

Aside from the email, I've also posted some IM's people can reach me through. I'll put them here, too, just cause I feel like it. So thbbb!!

ICQ: 76507276

Yahoo messenger: Jadeanime   
MSN Messenger: Topothegreat@hotmail.com

*ego can be seen inflating* And the usual eternal gratitude to those who reviewed! Thanks ben and cymberleah! If you don't want to be worshipped ben, that's fine with me. For an alternative, how does a lifetime supply of ice cream sandwiches sound? *drools* Mmm, ice cream sandwich…

And at the suggestion of cymberleah *glomps her for good measure*, who nicely reviewed again, those who do… GET BROWNIES!! *announcer speaks over her happy screeches* Please wait 4-6 weeks for your order to arrive.

*sniffles* And no, this one didn't get pre-read. *smiles* But no one's complained so far, so I guess it's not too bad.


	4. Different Perspectives

**Disclaimer****:**  *counting off on her fingers* I only own 3 characters out of the whole things thus far… that's it. Nothing more. Nadda. Zilch. Zero. Blarhg.

**Warning****:**  Nyo. I don't think it needs a warning, nyo. But then that's just me, nyo.

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**Souken no Shibun**

Different Perspectives

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Lost.

Hopelessly and utterly.

She was lost and there was no one around to help.

Looking around at her dank, putrid surroundings, Kyouki figured she'd probably be better off not getting any from the residents that might be up and about this time of night anyways. She wasn't in the mood to deal with an attempted rape, or worse, if they tried to take her money. All be damned if they tried to take her hard-earned cash.

Not that painting itself was hard. It was finding people to find buy them that made her chosen profession no easy task. Finding people to buy them that would pay her what the pictures were worth made it even harder. She wasn't some two-bit artist and she wasn't about to sell one of her 1000 yen paintings for 100. She might be convinced to lower the price a bit on a good day, but not that low. She'd starve to death with those kinds of profits.

Of course, at the rate she was making her way through this city, she'd probably starve to death anyways. The only difference would be that she'd be dying in a less respectable back alley than her comfortable little home. She'd managed travel all the way here without a single problem, but the moment she entered, she didn't know where she was. Relatively speaking.

She **knew** she was on north side of Tokyo traipsing around the slum district. She **knew** which direction the cardinal points were thanks to the stars. What she didn't **know** was where Himura Kenshin was staying or what streets would take her to his place of residence. _This is what happens when I don't properly think things out_, she mentally chided herself. _And now I'm going to end up raped, dead, or worse, broke_.

If she'd actually taken a little more time to plan this escapade, then she would've thought to have him traced so she'd know exactly where he was, and exactly how to get there. Pulling out the list from her sleeve, she looked down at the names written there and the cities scribbled next to them, indicating their general whereabouts. She hadn't really been paying attention before, but now that she took a better look, a lot of the names were in Tokyo. Maybe this Himura guy knew them. That would certainly be helpful.

And what kind of name was Himura, anyway? Sounded kind of like hemorrhage, which implied pain, and Kyouki didn't like pain. Physical pain was… painful, and emotional pain tended to make people do wrongful things. She knew this from watching those who lived on the southern edges of Urawa, near her part of the forest. A bad harvest tended to put the farmers in a foul temper and they would take it out on their families. The first year she'd come to live in the area, she'd seen once such incident that had deadly results.

And now she was thinking strange things again. This Himura fellow was more than likely just an over-active citizen who'd stuck his nose in the wrong places one too many times. He probably sent letters to government officials, organized peaceful demonstrations, and was rounding off another satisfying year at the comfortable age of sixty. Doubtless, the old geezer didn't even know there were people out to kill him.

_And now we see the advantages to being a hermit._ She stretched, continuing to wander aimlessly through the streets. As she neared the center of the city, the streets got cleaner and the buildings looked a little less dilapidated.  Well, if this old codger was annoying enough to warrant an assassination, then he must have some kind of money backing him. Which meant she was probably heading the right direction. She'd have to ask someone sometime though as to his whereabouts. It could take days to search all of Tokyo for him and Kyouki got the distinct feeling he didn't have days left to spare. Not that the loss of some aging windbag would stop the world from going 'round, she just didn't want the guilt of knowing she could have saved him annoying her until the end of her days.

Always a great motivator, guilt was. Guilt could turn a cold-blooded killer into a docile dishwasher and a dispassionate painter into an old man's keeper. Not that Kyouki minded terribly. After all, it had been a rather nice trip. And when she found Himura, she could find someone to trace the other people so she'd have to go through a lot less trouble.

Turning a corner, she brushed her ebony hair back from her face and spotted a restaurant with it lights still on. _YES!_ she silently cheered and sent a grateful prayer to whatever god had allowed her to find it. That rice cake she'd eaten earlier hadn't done much to take the edge off her hunger. Of this she was being made acutely aware. The restaurant was still a good ways down the street, but she certainly didn't mind the walk. Besides, the owners might be able to point her in the direction of a decent inn. She was going to need a good night's sleep to search for the old codger come first light. In fact, she might be able to skim some info off the restaurant's employees now that she thought about it.

Things were looking better already. She sped up a little, hoping they would stay open just long enough for her to get her foot in the door. Though she'd be satisfied coming away with only some information, she truly did hope they'd stay open long enough to serve her. They could point her in the direction of the market so she could buy some supplies tomorrow. Who knew, they could even know of the guy she was looking for. He might even be a regular patron. As she neared the edges of the light the business gave off, she could already taste the delicious sushi and the warm tea she'd order. Maybe she'd even splurge a tiny bit and order some shabu-shabu. Oh, and maybe she'd order some tiramisu afterwards if she still had enough room in her budget to afford the tasty confection. Her gray eyes twinkled in childish delight.

After a good meal and some conferring with the employees she'd be able to head out, find the inn she was sure they'd direct her to, and take a nice hot bath. If they had a laundry service, she'd definitely be using it. She raised the collar of her short kimono to sniff at it and wrinkled her nose. Preferably while she was in the bath. With the way her clothes smelled, putting the dirty things back on would make the point of taking a bath moot. She'd slip into her yukata and snuggle herself into a nice, comfy futon and succumb to a peaceful slumber. If only everyone could end their days so well, she somehow knew people would be a lot happier with life.

Although, she fully admitted, to be able to end it with someone else would make things even nicer. It wasn't that she was searching for a love interest. Hardly. Love tended complicate life and Kyouki was a recluse for a reason. Simple, quiet, secure. Those were the only things Kyouki desired to have. But living in seclusion did tend to get lonely and it wouldn't hurt to have someone to talk to every now and then. Maybe there was one more advantage to taking this trip than she had originally thought. She might be able to find someone to fill that role, to be her friend and to chase away her loneliness. It wasn't often that she was, but it was a feeling she found that she rather hated. And maybe if she found this person, she could do something for them in return. Paint a nice picture or maybe even cook them dinner. She was a hell of a chef when she felt up to cooking.

The thoughts were soothing ones, albeit perhaps a little too soothing, as she never noticed the hands reaching out from an alley to grab her.

******************************************************

Kaoru watched the redheaded swordsman disappear down the street; silently cursing him while also being thankful that he had remembered her shawl. It was one of her favorites and it would have saddened her to think that she'd lost it. But on the other hand, she'd almost had him! It was so aggravating to come so close. Kaoru ground her teeth as she stared down the now empty road that seemed to mock her. 

A yawn caught her attention and she looked down to find Yahiko on the verge of waking. _I'll just have to help him a little, won't I?_ Whether she was speaking of the boy she was holding or the violet-eyed rurouni even she wasn't sure. Not that it truly mattered. The sentence would be applied to both. _Although_, she admitted with a grin,_ in slightly different ways_. She'd show Yahiko not to scoff at her punishments. His earlier display down the road would only make Kaoru relish the lesson that much more. Imagined tortures ran through her hand, eliciting a giggle every now and then from her.

As for that blasted rurouni, he too would get what was coming to him for being so impotent. Then she frowned. _I don't think that was the word I was looking…_ She shook her head. No matter, Kaoru was sure that one applied as well whatever it meant. _I mean was it really necessary for him to skip down the road?_

"Bull… Just you wait, I'll have these pigs flying in no time," Yahiko mumbled and gestured wildly; reminding Kaoru she still had a hold of him. She arched an eyebrow, but shrugged off her curiosity and pushed the dojo gates open. Grabbing the kid with both hands, she tossed him inside and was instantly gratified by the screech that erupted upon his landing. She gave a contented sigh as she stepped in and closed the gates behind her.

She turned to find a quite conscious and extremely indignant Yahiko. He was gingerly holding his hands over the angry red marks on his face and glaring as fiercely as he could at her. The effect was lost though due to the cute little tears that had appeared at the edges of his brown eyes. She just crossed her arms, smirking evilly at him.

"What the hell did ya do that for, busu?!"

She narrowed her eyes and bent slightly at the waist to bring her face closer to his. "Because I wasn't about to drag your sorry ass to bed, Yahiko-CHAN!" She straightened up and gave him the most superior look she could manage.

He just snorted in response. _I don't know what's got her panties in a bunch, but I'll bet it's Kenshin's fault…_ And thus, another plot against Kenshin was forming. Oh, Kenshin was going to get it good for there would be no escaping his wrath. Yahiko picked himself up off the ground walked into the house, the very picture of dignity as he schemed.

As soon as he was gone, Kaoru pushed up her sleeves and smiled grimly, quickly setting about her work. She was going to have a happy birthday come the next day, a VERY happy birthday…

******************************************************

Michika glanced around. Halfway through the trip, she'd gotten bored with the looks the old geezer kept giving her. She was sure he was either convinced he could ransom her for money, sell her to some whorehouse, or have her over to cook dinner for him… While the last didn't seem bad, being in a small house with an unmarried old man watching her didn't sound like her idea of a good time. She just knew he'd be giving her lecherous looks… looks she wouldn't mind were he about 40 years younger.

So as soon as he'd proclaimed them to be on the edges of the Tokyo area, she'd taken off after reassuring the old guy she could make it on her own. He'd said Tokyo and she'd assumed the city couldn't be too far…

It was dark now. The sun had long since sunk below the horizon without so much as an inkling as to the whereabouts of the city.

Well, she'd been… Michika hesitated to even consider that she'd made a mistake. Perhaps it was merely divine providence that had led her in a different direction. Yes that had to be it. She wasn't meant to be in Tokyo yet. Somehow, out here there was someone who needed her help more than Sano's friends at that moment and she'd been led this way so that she, in all her vast knowledge and immense strength, might come to their aid. She'd save these people from their crisis and the victims would revere her as their hero. Or to be more exact, heroine.

She surveyed her surroundings in search of her imagined charges, sure that they would be nearby calling for the help she would so graciously give them. However, she saw only clumps of grass and dark mountains in the distance. She blinked as the last bit of that processed. Weren't the mountains around here to the west of Tokyo? The Divine had certainly led her farther than expected. She had somehow managed to completely bypass the city without seeing it. Oh well, if she'd been led this far, then surely it must be important.

Surely, these friends of the Zanza could take of themselves for a little bit while she searched for those out here in need of help.

And yet, there was no sign of those she needed to help. She realized that it being dark, settlements would be a tad harder to spot; yet she still saw nothing. She walked several directions in search of lights to find none. The wind brought only the sound of chirping crickets and rustling mice. Perhaps she was not brought out here to help anyone, but to simply enter Tokyo from a different direction. It was possible that her enemies would anticipate her entrance from the south. Thus, coming from the west was something they wouldn't expect. After all, there were only mountains over here, right?

She nodded decisively and gave up her search, instead turning back to Tokyo. With the mountains at her back to guide her, there was no way she'd get l- … lead astray by divine providence until her mission was complete. Warning Sano's friends was why she'd journeyed here and she aimed to do just that before she took on any more tasks. True friendship was a hard thing to come by, especially for a man of Sano's reputation. She had to warn them soon. It was the morally right thing to do, and allowing otherwise would go against her principles. Besides, it was apparent she had nothing better to do.

Plodding forward, Michika began to wonder if she should cancel her trip further north. She had decided to visit only because she was going to be heading that way. It was strange though, to visit family who didn't know you were family. The simple solution would be to reveal that fact, but she pushed that thought aside. No, her family was safer not knowing. If they remained friends, it gathered less attention, and thus less reason to attack them. She supposed the actual decision would have to wait until she made it to Tokyo. While visiting Sano's friends, she could keep an eye out to see if those not wishing her well knew of her presence in the city. If they didn't, she'd go ahead and travel the few extra miles north.

As she disappeared behind a grassy hill, several black clad men jumped and rolled across the field, doing their best to look sneaky. Whatever effect they tried to have though was lost as one unsuspecting roller got his head stuck in a hole Michika had just been standing in front of.

******************************************************

Kenshin sighed in relief as he backtracked the path taken from the Akabeko. He'd somehow managed to avoid Kaoru's wrath and still not confess his feelings. He had to admit it was a close call. But now simply was not the time for such things. Well, technically 'then', but 'now' counted too. His answer had thrown her, but he'd seen the disappointment hiding just behind the surprise in her eyes. Well, he'd just have to make it up to her tomorrow when he gave her the present he'd gotten her.

He'd already had it all planned out. He was going to get an early start on his chores, then after breakfast he'd take her for a walk by the river. They'd stop off at the spot that was so special to him and to her hopefully. Here he'd give her that nice speech he'd been working on for over a month, with a few tweaks here and there (namely the places where he kept spluttering his innermost feelings for the girl) and just as he reached the climax of said speech, he would hand her the gift. Kenshin's original plan really had been to tell Kaoru he loved her at that point. In the little daydreams that played out in his head while he was doing laundry, she would throw her arms around his neck, crying, and proclaim her own love for him.

Then they would become engaged and wait a suitable amount of time before marrying (in his head it all happened within a matter of days, but that was hardly appropriate). He'd take his ever-present sakabatou and store it away in Kaoru's shed, never to be used again. Or perhaps give it to Yahiko. The boy might be able to make good use of it, though Kenshin would prefer the 'Tokyo Samurai' stick to the wooden swords.

Then there was the idea of kids. He didn't know how many kids Kaoru might want, if she wanted them at all. But Kenshin couldn't help but think it would be nice to have at least one. Perhaps they would have a son to carry on his mother's dojo. Kenshin refused to even consider teaching Hiten Mitsurugi to the child, but he could learn Kamiya Kasshin. The boy would grow to be an honorable young man and have all the women swooning. Ah, but what if it was a girl? Kenshin wasn't sure he'd be able to handle that. Being a child of Kaoru's, the girl would be beautiful and he'd be forced to beat the suitors off with a stick. Literally, considering his earlier plans for his sword. If there weren't a man alive worthy of Kaoru, then there surely wouldn't be one worthy of their daughter. The girl would just have to stay with them and grow up to be an old maid.

Picking his way through the streets, he smiled. He was getting ahead of himself. _Way ahead…_he thought sheepishly. Besides, the plan had changed anyways. It wouldn't happen that way now. Not with Sano's disappearance and the resurfacing of that murderous thief. There wasn't much one could do about Sano, but the thief was Kenshin's responsibility. If he had caught the thief before, then people wouldn't be dead and Sano would only be a minor dent in Kenshin's plans.

As it stood, Kenshin's daydreams would have to wait before they could be made a reality. He hesitated to call it a minor annoyance or setback, as it would belittle the deaths of those killed by the thief. He would stop the killer and soon, hopefully before there was another victim. As for Sano, the only thing Kenshin could think of to do other than wandering out to search for him would be to ask around. Neither seemed terribly positive prospects though; especially when one recalled the warning Sano had given him.

"Sessha is sure everything will work out in the end, de gozaru," he reassured himself. He soon turned the corner onto the street the Akabeko resided on, opposite the end Kyouki had been entering from. Nonetheless, he was already racing down the street when a shrill scream filled the air.

******************************************************

Mystery Man #2, by way of the northern forest, stalked forward, alerted to trouble by the sound of a nearby scream. It was probably a simple mugging and had nothing at all to do with the Nentou. MM2 just couldn't bring himself to ignore it though. The obviously female scream had sounded absolutely pitiful. How could any man of honor ignore such a scream, especially when it most likely originated from what was sure to be a beautiful woman. He imagined the thanks he would receive in return would be well worth the detour.

He could see it all now… He'd ride in on a beautiful white horse, gallantly proclaiming such treatment an injustice to one so beautiful as the woman of dark hair and eyes. Then, he would do an impressively cool vault from the saddle and challenge the mongrel attacking her to a duel. Whether the other accepted mattered not, for a battle would surely take place to restore the lady's honor. Once the foul villain was defeated, the lady would insist upon cooking him a wonderful feast in gratitude for his help. One thing would lead to another and he'd walk away a very happy man the next morning.

MM2 nodded to himself as he came closer to the scream's point of origin. He definitely had to lend his help in this situation. He been so intent earlier upon hurrying, but dinner at least couldn't hurt, right? Or maybe they could just skip dinner… Although assuming such things of a woman he hadn't even seen yet seemed rather rude. He shrugged. Saving her still meant one less vagrant to terrorize the streets of Tokyo. Surely that was a heroic enough deed in and of itself.

He moved around to the backside of the alley so that he might have more of an element of surprise. Peering around the corner, he spotted two shadows struggling. The smaller of the two shadows, which he assumed to be the female, emitted a rather intimidating snarl, but to no effect as the larger, a rather burly looking man, continued his assault. And the man was becoming more enraged by the minute. Although it was obvious the girl was outmatched in strength, she was apparently light enough on her feet to avoid his clumsy attempts at snatching the purse hanging at her waist. In fact, MM2 found he was rather enjoying the scene.

The attacker had the girl by one wrist, but she kept twisting every which way, always managing to keep her purse just out of reach. MM2 wondered what was in the pouch that was just so important. Didn't she realize that sooner or later the big man was going to quit playing with her?  Eventually, the man would tire of her games and simply kill her. It was always easier to take things from a dead body.

MM2 wouldn't let that happen of course, but it still left him curious. There had to be something in there. No one was **that** protective of their money unless they were an accountant, and even then the said accountant had to be dedicated. There weren't many of those around because they usually got killed in similar situations like the one he was watching now. It was kind of sad in a way. What few good people there were left in the world were slowly but surely having their numbers dwindled away to nothing. The uglier side of human nature was stronger and more apparent in this day and age. Sooner or later, the good would be completely destroyed and there'd be nothing left but cutthroats, thieves, and politicians.

A glint of light off the silver of a blade caught his eye, dragging MM2 from his musings. Looked like the bastard had finally gotten tired of struggling for his prize. Which meant it was time for him to act. However, what was supposed to be his dramatic entrance was pre-empted by the presence of another. As he slinked back into the shadows, he spotted red hair and a cross scar. _So it's him…_

----------------------------------------------

**Japanese terms**

Souken no Shibun:  The Four Parts of Creation

Sakabatou: reversed blade sword

Sessha: this unworthy one

**A/N: ** *pats ben on the shoulder* I understand your predicament completely. *points at cymberleah who also reviewed* Miss Author there has a Trigun fic that's pretty much the same way. In fact, I've sorta modeled this whole venture after her. I thought it was cool that she updated everyday even if the chapters tended to be short. And thus, I was in your predicament. And now that I'm writing, I understand why her story was the way it was.

*holds a finger* But! Now the chappies are compacted for other's reading pleasure. As for the new chapters... My brain just likes to shut down after a 1000 words for some reason… *shrugs* Got me as to why. So the new chapters will eventually be compacted as well, but only when I think the chapters are getting too high. *nods*

*whines* And I know this has absolutely nothing to do with my story, but… *cries* Kiley shot Knives!! Poor Knives…

Thanks go to cymberleah for reading the first and last sections within this over for me! She found so many mistakes, but I'm thankful. I probably never would've spotted them and input such as hers only helps me to learn. *smiles* In gratitude, I'd give her my Vash figurine if I didn't think she already had one… *grins* As for the middle... *sighs* Hopefully, there aren't too many other mistakes though. I really did try to keep an eye out for them… but do tell me if you see the munchkins. I know they're hiding in there somewhere.


	5. Fated

**Disclaimer****:  ***paints the word 'disclaimer' on her compy screen*

**Warning****:**  *blinks* Could I have a definition, please?

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**Souken no Shibun**

Fated

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She knew it.

Kyouki just knew someone was going to try and steal her money from her. Just because she looked like a defenseless wanderer, she suddenly became a prime target. What was more insulting was the fact that the moron manhandling her didn't even seem to notice that she was female. Not that Kyouki wasn't grateful, but he hadn't leered at her once the whole time he'd been trying to take her money pouch. Was he intentionally insulting her womanhood or was he gay? She sniffed the air superiorly. Either way, he still wasn't getting her money.

She'd managed to squirm around enough to keep him away from her precious coins, but she didn't think that'd be enough. And as far as Kyouki could tell, there hadn't been anyone on the street to witness the attack. It figured, though, with her luck. She walked around the slums for what seemed like an eternity to her and not a peep from the scum who lived there. The second she got into the better part of town though, bam! Someone grabs her and makes an attempt on her pouch.

As she dodged another grab for the money, she concluded one thing about whatever deity it was that decided her life's path… They had a very screwed up sense of humor. This did not make her happy. In fact, it made her downright pissy. She felt the urge to reach back, grab something from her obi, and slice the scoundrel open the next time he reached for her waist. Only too late did she realize she was actually following through on the motion, only to come up… empty-handed? She never kept a weapon in her obi. She didn't even own anything that could be considered dangerous outside of a kitchen knife.

She was snapped back into reality by the feel of something tugging at her money pouch. She instinctively kicked out, planting a foot into the nearest soft spot on the other's body. She blinked as the man bent to hold himself, releasing her pouch. It was her first fight, but apparently the groin was a rather sensitive spot on a guy. She grinned inwardly. She'd have to remember that for later use…

Unfortunately, Kyouki did not make the obvious choice to run for it. She was so busy praising the return of her good luck that she forgot she was supposed to. She was reminded pretty quickly though when she found herself suddenly backhanded into across the alley. _Itai!_ She groaned and pushed herself away from the wall. _Note to self: Run like hell after kicking a guy in the crotch…_ A scraping sound caught her attention and she turned to find her attacker suddenly sporting a rather large and nasty looking knife.

_Ugh, this won't turn out well at all,_ she surmised, as he started towards her, rage evident in his movements. She imagined he'd carve her up like yesterday's chicken dinner. The thought didn't sit well with her, and it wasn't because she was going to die. It was the manner of the death. To be cut into tiny pieces in an alley of a town where no one knew her or cared about her was sad and slightly degrading. How it was degrading at this point, she wasn't sure, but her mind insisted it was. "You're armed and I'm not. Somehow that doesn't seem very fair to me, especially considering I'm a poor, defenseless woman." She gave him her best pathetic look.

The anger in his eyes dimmed a little, being replaced with humor. She's expected that part. It was the kind of humor that caught her off guard. Kyouki had been hoping for a little warmth. He'd take pity on her and dignify Kyouki with a killing blow on the first strike, leaving her body untouched. However, that wasn't what she saw in his eyes now. It was simple amusement at her ploy, cold and unforgiving. Well, she'd try a different tactic then. She jingled her money pouch, putting the rather shabby thing in the spotlight. "Look, buddy. There's really not enough in here to make it worth your while. You'd only be getting a couple hundred yen at best. I swear it." She could only stand there and blink in utter confusion when the man started laughing.

"Oh, how rich!"

Kyouki sweatdropped. "So, I take you don't want the money…?"

The man smirked. " Getting your money was just a side bonus, little one. My purpose here is to kill you."

Now she was even more confused. Other than keeping an eye on her other half's activities, she didn't see what was so deserving of having someone sent to kill her. _Oh, wait…_ She smiled nervously and held up her hands. "Um, can't we talk this out?" In response, the man simply angled the knife, plunging the weapon down.

Only to pull short as a shadow fell over them. Both Kyouki and her scrappy assailant looked up, Kyouki hoping for help and the man hoping to run off whoever was stupid enough to disturb him. They were both slightly surprised at what they saw. The image that stood before them was that of a short, feminine-looking redhead dressed in a pink gi and white hakama. Kyouki found herself frowning until she caught sight of the sword he carried. She arched an eyebrow curiously at the stranger. _I _think_ it's a guy…_

He stepped further into the alley, his long bangs obscuring his face. "It would be in your best interest to leave her alone and be on your way, de gozaru yo."

******************************************************

Kenshin had slid to a stop in front of a nearby alley, his anger rising a bit at the scene he beheld. A scruffy looking ruffian of larger then usual proportions was attacking someone, apparently with the intent to kill judging by the knife the man carried. He watched the two from beneath the overhang of his bangs, keeping a particular eye on the way the other held his knife. From his grip and movements, the man was obviously not the run-of-the-mill mugger. However, what skill the man had paled horribly in comparison to Kenshin.

"It would be in your best interest to leave her alone and be on your way, de gozaru yo." Both of the alley's occupants turned to look at him, though shadows mostly hid the smaller figure. He could see annoyance on the man's face, though, thanks to some moonlight that had managed to crawl its way between the buildings. He could see in the other's movements that while he indeed deemed Kenshin a threat, the supposed threat was minor at best. Kenshin loved being underestimated.  This time it brought a small smile to his lips. Best to keep the advantage that offered. Kenshin kept his head low, allowing his bangs to hide the cross scar he was so well known for.

"Beat it, brat. This doesn't concern pests like you." Although the man was now completely facing Kenshin, he was still well within arms' reach of his would-be victim. His target, on the other hand, was eyeing the knife as she slowly inched towards the other end of the alley. Or least Kenshin assumed she was. He certainly hoped she was. The shadows were still obscuring her, but from the evidence, it didn't appear as if her attacker had harmed her yet, if at all.

Kenshin's eyes flicked back to the man when the other started to reach for something. Kenshin shifted slightly, preparing for whatever the man had planned. The burly man flung his left arm out, letting loose several projectiles. _Kunai… four of them…_ It took very little effort on Kenshin's part to dodge them. _Badly aimed. His proficiency more than likely lies with that knife._ Returning to his unassuming posture, Kenshin tried again. "I would ask you once again to leave in peace."

The other was silent this time, finally taking the time to truly assess the stranger that interrupted him. After a moment, he drew back slightly, changing his grip on the knife. He held it up in a defensive position across his forearm. "Who are you?"

It was Kenshin's turn to be silent. A verbal response was not forthcoming, and an utter stillness seemed to envelope him. He saw the man shudder visibly but hold his ground. And predictably followed the natural urge to destroy that which was feared. The man leapt at Kenshin, bringing another knife to bear in his right hand. Kenshin sidestepped easily, allowing his opponent to stumble passed him unharmed. "I take it you're not willing to leave…"

"I cannot," the other replied, almost sadly, and lunged forward again. Kenshin again chose to dodge, his curiosity piqued by the statement. He turned, following the man's movement as he regained his balance and readied for another attack. Deciding that perhaps there was more information to be gained, Kenshin opened his mouth to ask when the other suddenly toppled over, revealing his would-be victim holding a long metal bar.

She lowered the bar and threw it off to the side, where she had apparently found it. She took a moment to glare at the crumpled form before gingerly stepping over him. Kenshin almost smiled. She reminded him of Kaoru with her bokken. He inwardly cringed, realizing now that he was going to be late getting back home. _Kaoru's going to be worried._ There wasn't much he could do about it now, and he still had to get her shawl from the Akabeko. And this attack needed to be reported so the police could come pick the man up. And if the girl was injured, then a doctor needed to be summoned… _So many things to do, so little time._ Kaoru was going to kill him. It wasn't going to be pretty.

He blinked, pushing away his thoughts when he realized the girl wasn't in his direct line of sight anymore. A slight rustling sound drew his attention downward to where he saw the girl hurriedly picking the dazed man's pockets. "Um, sessha does not think you should be doing that, de gozaru yo," he reprimanded softly, sweatdropping.

She placed the discovered change in her pouch and turned an incredulous eye on Kenshin. "He was going to do it to me," she half-whined, half informed.

Kenshin shook his head. "That still does not make it right, de gozaru." She frowned at this, but gave up her search. Dusting herself off, she stood, swaying slightly and proceeded towards Kenshin. The swaying seemed unnatural and as she stepped into the light, he saw why. He'd been wrong in his assumption that she hadn't been hurt yet. She was bleeding slightly from a cut on her bottom lip, but that hardly worried him. No, what concerned him was the discoloration blooming on one side of her face. She'd been hit hard enough that the redness on that side was already taking on a sickly yellow hue. She cleared her throat to get his attention. He looked into her eyes, finding them glassy and unfocused.

"Thanks for your help."

She tried to bow, but ended up stumbling forward instead. Kenshin reached a hand forward to help steady and she smiled apologetically at him. He led her out of the dim alley and helped her in the direction of the Akabeko. "Sessha will send for a doctor to look you over when we get to the Akabeko, de gozaru. Just to be on the safe side." She nodded mutely as they continued down the street. But before they could get there, she paused, tugging Kenshin to a stop. Her eyes narrowed as she surveyed her surroundings. Kenshin did the same, but sensing nothing, looked at her questioningly.

"I was wondering…" she trailed off, sounding unsure of her question.

"Yes?" Kenshin blinked at her, curious. She let go of him and pointed down the street, giving him a confused look he didn't understand.

"Why is the road spinning?"

******************************************************

Megumi stretched and took a seat, having long since finished her medical duties. It was supposed to be the first week of her vacation, but it was hardly that with her worrying over Sano all time. Somehow, working in Genzai's clinic kept her mind from wandering down paths she'd rather it not take. Perhaps it was the atmosphere. Quiet, orderly, sterile… Being here even allowed her think about Sano without fraying her nerves further. And for that she was thankful.

Back in Aizu, her own clinic was doing well. There hadn't been much call for her of late though. There hadn't been any terrible famines or accidents recently, but one could always hope, right? Megumi smiled to herself. Much as she would've liked the money, she was thankful that no one had been in any serious need of her services. Not to mention, not having as many patients meant she got to go home early.

It was on one such day that word of Sano's disappearance had come. She'd had just finished treating her last patient for the day. She was still baffled as to how the child managed to get that huge berry up his nose… She was about to return to her office to re-file the boy's personal information when there came a knocking at the door. Opening it, she found a messenger standing there.

She scanned him over, quickly taking in his appearance. He'd been wearing normal clothes, a bright smile, and there was an air of normalcy to him. He wasn't breathing heavily, which meant that whatever his message, it hadn't been considered an emergency. She mentally sighed, realizing that she had come to simply expect such. Dear Ken-san kept getting hurt and that rooster was always getting his ass kicked. So when someone came knocking at her door, she tended to assume the worst.

The messenger handed her a letter with her name on it. Taking it, she smiled and thanked him, slipping him a small tip before turning back to her office. She took a look at her name, the flowing script familiar. Kenshin had such excellent penmanship. Incredible swordsmanship, great cooking, and beautiful handwriting… Kenshin really was good with his hands. _Wouldn't mind playing 'Doctor' with him sometime!_

Not that the damn tanuki would ever allow such a thing. She kept poor Ken-san on such a short leash. And of course, Kenshin followed along on her heels like a puppy, happily carrying out Kaoru's orders because he was head over heels for the girl. In fact, now that she thought about it, one could liken him to a stray dog… Feed them once and they stay forever. If only Megumi could've gotten there first. Oh well.

She still had Sano, though. He was cute in that roguish kind of way and his immaturity could be charming at times. The rest of the time he was an annoying loudmouth who tended to make rash decisions and gambled too much. The fact that he pretty much leeched off of everyone he knew wasn't exactly a positive aspect either. Then again, the man was loyal to a fault and more than willing protect those he loved. Sano'd probably be a great lover as well, if one could manage to put up with the pitfalls of his personality that long.

Taking a seat behind her desk, she carefully peeled open the letter and unfolded it.

_Dear Megumi-dono,_

_I am truly sorry for bothering you, as I am sure you are busy. I would not have sent this if I did not think it important. A week ago, Sanosuke failed to appear at the dojo as per usual. We did not think anything of it at first. However, as he has not shown up anywhere around Tokyo for several days now, we have begun to worry. Thus, I sent this letter to inquire as to if you know of his whereabouts. We hope for a positive reply. Thank you._

_Himura Kenshin_

Megumi frowned and set the letter down. Sano being gone for a few days was nothing of concern, but if he hadn't been around Tokyo for over a week, then surely something was wrong. Perhaps the rooster was in trouble yet again and had been forced into hiding. Served the fool right, gambling away all his money and leeching off other people. By now, he was probably drunk in some gutter, broke and begging. She prepared to send a reply, regretfully informing Ken-san of her ignorance in this situation.

As she started writing, though, she began to worry. What if he wasn't just in his normal amount of trouble? What if he wasn't drunk in that gutter, but rather dead? Megumi sighed and set the brush down. If he was in trouble, he was probably going to end up hurt. Megumi grinned a little. And who better than her to treat the moron? Besides, she felt the urge to lecture the idiot for worrying everyone over what would probably turn out to be nothing. This decided, she picked the brush up again and wrote a letter informing the others of her impending arrival.

With the lull in business, it hadn't been that big a deal to take a few weeks vacation. But she'd been in Tokyo almost a week now and there was still no sign of the chicken-head. And with each day that passed without him, her worry grew while her temper shortened. Simply pacing back and forth had only served to further stress her. So with Doctor Genzai's permission, she'd taken on some of his patients to keep her occupied. And thus far, it had helped. Now she was too busy to be too stressed over Sano, although she was still worried. Damn rooster-head. If he wasn't horribly injured when he got back, she was really going to lay into him. Perhaps she'd show him the finer points of surgery…

Megumi snickered to herself, pulling the cloth off that held her hair back. A knock came at the door, startling her. _That's strange…_ It was too late for normal patients. Maybe someone was hurt. Or… maybe Sano had finally come back. She quickly made her way to the door and slid it open. She blinked. There stood Tsubame, wringing her hands nervously. She quietly delivered her message to Megumi before scurrying back off in the direction of the Akabeko.

Megumi slid the door back in place and went to grab her the things she would. "Well, now there's a twist," she mumbled to herself. "Kenshin involved, but strangely not the one hurt." With everything in her bag, she slipped on her shoes and headed out into the night. "What would they do without me?"

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**Japanese Terms**

Souken no Shibun:  The Four Parts of Creation

*waves* Thanks to cymberleah for doing the beta thing!


	6. Thoughts and Discussions

**Disclaimer****:  **We all already know I don't 'currently' own RK… but I will… yeeesss…

**Warning****:**  Mein Gott!! There's stuff in this chapter that makes other things make sense… the insanity of it all!

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**Souken no Shibun**

Thoughts and Schemes

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The one known only as the Nentou tied back his silvery mane, contemplating the new information he'd received. Not only had Rei, the Spirit, returned, but so had Karada, the Body. Rei's return was something he could have dreamed of, however, Karada's appearance might not be so beneficial. When they were younger, Karada performed her duties, as she was ordained. She slowly changed though after their predecessor's rather untimely demise. He thought perhaps it was simply brought about by her anger at him for killing their former master. After observing her, he finally decided it was more deeply rooted than that.

This revelation came too late though as the Karada chose that time to make her move. Strangely, her actions weren't necessarily against, just not for him. What she had done was simply a hindrance and she knew it. So why do it? Why take his Spirit from him? It upset him slightly that the Rei had not returned to him, but he was sure that her absence was not of her own free will. More than likely the Karada had imprisoned her somewhere. He knew that Karada would not actually kill Rei… that had been a slightly disturbing part of her progressive change. The Karada had become far too sentimental.

At first, he abhorred the weakness. Now though, he thanked it, as it would never allow her to kill her own family. Especially one like the Rei. The Spirit was simply a puppet to be used and he doubted the Karada could hold that against her. Wherever his Spirit had been, she was probably was well taken care of.

And now, she was obviously free and returning to him. He couldn't be more elated; especially knowing she had passed his test. Now she was in Tokyo and would surely make her way to him soon. She would return to her former position and his plans would be made much easier by her mere presence. Simply mentioning her return would cower more than a few of his enemies.

There was reason for that, of course, one he actually understood when he looked upon her countenance. It had been rumored that the Hitokiri Battousai had died after the Bakumatsu… While he knew otherwise, it was not common knowledge that the Battousai now lived in Tokyo under the name Himura Kenshin. And thus, those ignorant fools had believed that Rei was the reincarnation of the feared Battousai. She had been about the right age and her likeness to him was striking, though her coloring was starkly different and she bore none of the man's scars.

The Spirit's training and disposition only seemed to further convince his enemies of this. She was both fast and strong, which was what had allowed her to come through some many battles unscathed. Whether she was truly comparable to the Battousai was questionable. He smirked as he proceeded to his study. Now that she was back, perhaps he could test that theory.

As to her disposition… very few actually knew the Battousai in his younger days and had lived to see the new era. And questioning the few that still lived would more then likely be dangerous to one's health. If the Nentou were correct in his assumptions though, the Battousai had been seemingly cold and definitely merciless. He had to admit that Rei was similar in that case, unless one was around her often enough. Whereas the Battousai had been fighting for what he believed in, Rei was simply following orders. She didn't care what her mission was or whom she was up against. She had no personal stake in the matters. Thus simple indifference was taken as a sign of coldness.

Entering his study, the Nentou lay on his rather expensive western style couch and contemplated the recent happenings. Three of the four parts of creation were gathered in Tokyo, whether by fate or design mattered not. It was all coming together as his father had predicted, however he would see to it that events didn't go quite as his father had planned. Although his father's philosophy was a work of genius, the planning behind it was flawed. However, the Nentou recognized those flaws that his father could not and had worked to correct them. Or to more precise, was in the process of correcting them.

His father had been one of ignorant masses, believing in the Hitokiri Battousai's death. He'd also believed that there would not be others strong enough to rise and take Himura's place. He foolishly believed that none would stand against him. His son knew better and had already set a plan into motion that would dispose of those that would stop him. Himura Kenshin was of course counted among their number, but he was far from being the only one… there were others. Not to mention those who the Battousai had come to influence during his stay in Tokyo. These new obstacles would have to gotten rid of as well. They would surely do more than stand idly by as he had their precious rurouni murdered.

Perhaps the Karada could be convinced to take on the job. She certainly had the training for such a task. However, that depended on whether she had finally decided her position concerning him. If turned against him, Karada could become a rather annoying wrinkle in his plans. And if she had shown up, surely the pathetic Chushin wouldn't be far behind. The Heart of their little group had been sticking his nose where it didn't belong and managing to disappear before he could be taken care of. It was rather frustrating for the Nentou, who prided himself on predicting his opponents' actions. With both the Rei and Karada appearing in Tokyo though, the Chushin was sure to not be far behind.

Then finally, he would get what he richly deserved. The Heart was an unnecessary part of the Souken and only served as a pain in the Nentou's rather nice little ass. Thus, the man would be toyed with before his inevitable demise. The Nentou grinned at the imminent promises of pain.

"This is going to be a hell of a week."

******************************************************

Megumi stepped into the Akabeko and scanned the room. Towards the back she spotted someone in one of the private booths, holding their head. She couldn't really make them out in the light, but it looked a lot like Kenshin. So he was hurt after all. Figured. 'His' hair was down and rather ratty looking, not to mention it seemed longer. Strange. And with the soft lighting of the restaurant it appeared darker, too. The set to his shoulders seemed pained as well, something Kenshin usually didn't allow others to see.

The lady doctor shook her head, finally remembering to move forward. She had a patient to tend, possibly another if the message was right. She couldn't stand around staring at the rurouni all day. She set her bag down quietly on the floor beside her and proceeded to creep up on the silent figure. While he seemed hurt, it probably wasn't too serious. The figure's head shot up just as she latched onto their arm and nuzzled it.

"What the hell are you doing, you psychotic witch?! Get off! Can't you see I'm in pain here?!"

Megumi blinked in surprise at the uncharacteristic screech. Of course, it would have only been uncharacteristic if it had been Kenshin. He normally would have responded with his trademark "Oro" and warmly greeted her. She slowly lifted her head, locking her chocolate eyes with a pair of misty gray ones. The other seemed equally surprised and terribly angry. This didn't bode well. Megumi almost groaned, but that would have been unladylike. "You're not Kenshin…"

The person with the gray eyes scowled, yanking their arm from Megumi's grasp. "Nah, really? What gave it away? My sunny disposition? Or was it my winning smile?"

Megumi's eye twitched as she resisted the urge to smack the stranger in front of her. The stranger who happened to be female and she was now standing uncomfortably close to… Megumi took a polite step back and glared. "No need to be catty about it. It was an honest mistake, you little brat." She nearly smirked when the other simply glared at her.

Then the girl yawned dramatically and waved her away. "You're bothering me, kitsune. Go away." She leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes.

Megumi again resisted the urge to smack the girl and instead chose a safer action. "Where's Ken-san?"

The other cracked an eye open, giving Megumi a bored expression. "The cute red-head? He's in the kitchen, probably discussing the facts of life with that pretty waitress." The girl grinned evilly when she saw the infuriated expression on Megumi's face. "You can go on in if you like. I'm sure they wouldn't mind a third party. Your… Kenshin seems like a very loving fellow." Her following snickers were abruptly cut off when she was hit upside the head with a medical bag.

"And let that be a lesson to you, baka neko." Megumi turned on her heel and sauntered into the kitchen. She understood why Kaoru was so violent. Hitting annoying people was just so damn satisfying.

******************************************************

Kenshin turned and smiled at Megumi as she entered. Then had to blink. He almost swore he saw a visible aura of anger and annoyance surrounding her and cringed when her gaze swung his way. "Ah, Megumi-dono. Sessha is sorry for having called you out here at this hour, but…" He fell silent when her brown eyes narrowed. He wasn't afraid of her. He wasn't, really.

"Is that baka neko out there the only one I'm treating?"

Ah, she was worried about him again. That was slightly comforting in the face of the evil glare she was still bestowing upon him. He gave her one of his clueless smiles and nodded. "Yes. She was attacked in an alley and passed out soon after, de gozaru yo." Tae appeared from somewhere with a wet washcloth and disappeared again soon after handing it to him. She claimed she had cleaning to finish, and while Kenshin was sure she did, he was sure she was also trying to stay away from Megumi. He figured she was just as scared of Megumi's glare as he was.

He and Megumi headed back out into the dining area, Kenshin describing what he saw of the scuffle and Megumi silently listening. She frowned when he mentioned the bruises on the girl's face. Her passing out had probably been a sign of a concussion. Which meant that wherever she was staying, someone was going to have to watch her. Megumi instantly decided she wouldn't be the best candidate for the job. As unbiased a doctor as she was, she felt that the girl would be safer out of her sight. If Megumi couldn't see the baka neko, the girl had a good chance of living to see another day.

A short review and a few questions later, they stood in front of the girl, who was now suspiciously eyeing Megumi. Megumi took on an air of professionalism and gave her impersonal once over. The girl's eyebrow shot up at the change in the woman's demeanor, but responded accordingly when asked questions. Megumi slid her fingers lightly over the bruise on the right side of the girl's face and noted that while she didn't cry out, she did wince. This meant that half the girl's aches and pains would most likely go unrevealed, much as Kenshin's tended to do. Megumi found that this somehow made the girl even more annoying to her.

She peered into the girl's eyes for a moment before proceeding to patch up the minor injuries she could see. "When you told me she passed out, I worried that it might be a concussion. And it is, however it's only a minor one. She'll need someone to watch over her for the next couple of days and wake her every four hours at night." She placed her things back in her bag. "And as long as those cuts and scratches are well taken care of, they won't get infected." She closed the bag and turned to the girl. "What's your name?"

"Hisakata Kyouki. And yours? Or would you prefer I continue to call you kitsune, dear doctor?"

Megumi's eye twitched again, but she remained the perfect example of politeness. "Takani Megumi. And you should know better than to be wandering the streets this late at night, Kyou-chan. With a young girl like you, that's just asking for trouble." Kyouki was obviously fuming now at the hidden insult, but she too restrained herself from retorting.

This always happened with Kenshin around. If they weren't eventually separated, they'd surely be at each other's throats soon. So Kenshin took it upon himself to use the time-honored, traditional way of calming raging women. He gave them a disarming smile and waved a hand  to get their attention. "Maa, maa…" Both women glared at him, but were effectively calmed. "Now, is there anything else we should do, Megumi-dono, de gozaru ka?"

Megumi finally smiled at him and shook her head. "No, Ken-san. Nothing more than what I've already told you. If she's staying with you tonight, then I'll be by tomorrow morning to check up on the baka neko. Now if you two will excuse me, I'm going to have a long day tomorrow, so I'd best be going. Goodnight." She exited, the very picture of grace and elegance, leaving Kenshin alone with the newcomer.

"Heart of sword. You have an unusual name, Himura Kenshin."

He turned to the girl, who was once again holding her head and narrowed his eyes. While he knew Megumi had mentioned one of his names, she had not mentioned both. "And you bear a name of dual meanings, de gozaru. Which do you prefer, Kyouki-dono? Madness or ecstasy?" She lifted her head, a strange light shining in her eyes.

"Sometimes, they are one and the same."

******************************************************

The man sat back in his chair, looking over the information that had just been handed to him. Although a bit farfetched, it all seemed plausible enough. The connections, the times, the contacts. Everything was legit. Even the folder was well organized. That was an automatic hint that the man before him had not been the one to actually put it together, even if he had a hand in its creation. Between this man and his anonymous partner, they had managed to come up with something that was enough to get his attention.

This was, of course, a double-edged sword. It was good work on their part, however the fact that the situation warranted his presence meant someone had really screwed up somewhere. He didn't like screw-ups. They tended to get others killed, and if those others were under his lead, then he would be even less happy. Scanning another neatly written page, he pondered the supposed idiot's existence and whether it should be allowed to continue. After reading the next page, he decided not.

He threw the papers back on the desk before and stared at them. The Four Parts of Creation… a unit created based on the philosophy of a ignorant fool. A philosophy that would be made real by this unit. It was already in motion. However, not all the pieces were on the board yet. There were others that had yet to appear, thus, making what should have been a intriguing game of chess into a simple game of cat and mouse. If the other pieces were placed on the board though, things would become very interesting. He liked interesting. As he deliberated on a course of action, his informant was becoming agitated with his silence. No, he would not lay his cards on the table yet. He would stay his hand and see where the others fell. Better to know your enemies before you encounter them.

"Well?"

He ignored the other a moment longer, savoring his annoyance. After another minute, he stood, straightening out the imagined wrinkles in his shirt. "I'll look into it." With that, he moved towards the door, preparing to leave.

The other man sat motionless, tightly balling his fists to the point his knuckles were turning white from the pressure. "I think it deserves a little more consideration than that."

He paused at the door only long enough to respond before he was gone. "Perhaps."

******************************************************

Kyouki leaned back, hoping it would ease the pain more than holding her head had. It didn't, but at least the light wasn't shining right in her eyes anymore. She had passed out on a stranger and came to in the restaurant only to find the smell of food was making her nauseous. The side of her face, not to mention the rest of her head, was throbbing with mind-numbing pain. So it was no wonder she'd been rude when the lady doctor had appeared. Besides, having the woman nuzzle her arm was just disturbing, mistake or not.

Of course, when Megumi had gone off in search of her Ken-san, it had allowed Kyouki time to clear her thoughts a bit. She had been a bit sorry for being so pissy towards the doctor. That was, until her return. Although Kyouki had no doubt that Megumi had a good heart, there was just… something about her that grated on Kyouki's nerves. Thus, she found she didn't really like the doctor, though she did bear some respect for her. A woman doctor in this day and age was a revolutionary thing and Kyouki only wished her the best of luck, though she got the feeling that Megumi was the kind to make her own.

Kyouki had tried to be as agreeable as possible during the examination. No use in upsetting her while she was working. Besides, who knew what kind of sharp objects she carried around in that bag of hers… Kyouki was sure there were a lot though, considering how hard it'd been when Megumi had hit her with it. Kyouki fully admitted she deserved that one. Poking fun at another's love life just wasn't a smart thing to do.

And now she was left alone with the one she'd been searching for, but he was hardly what she had expected. Neither did he look old and neither did he seem like the loudmouthed activist she had imagined him to be. Rather, Kenshin was quiet and reserved, terribly polite, and cute to boot. Strangely though, she could sense something more to him, something hidden. She concluded she'd been allowed a glimpse of that hidden self back in the alley when he saved her, but only a glimpse. She thought she should be quaking in her sandals, but she wasn't. In fact, she felt like a little kid that just found the 3'oclock fairy was real and left her some sweets. It was weird, but she supposed it was better than fearing him. After all, everything he'd done up to this point had been to help her, not hurt her.

She finally gathered the courage to open her eyes a little, hoping there wouldn't be any more spots floating about her vision. It was really rather hard to resist the urge to reach out and pop the bubbles floating across her sight. Apparently, the colorful spheres had decided she was boring and let her be. She blinked to adjust her eyes and peered at the man across from her.

Kenshin was staring right back at her, a calculating look in his eyes. She wasn't used to being stared at in such a way and it made her uncomfortable. It was almost like he was cataloguing the possible threat she posed and filing it away for later use. Something about that disturbed her in a way she couldn't define and found she didn't want to. _Ignorance is bliss, as they say._

The look soon disappeared though, replaced by a warm smile. "Do you have a place to stay, Kyouki-dono?" When she shook her head, his smile widened just a bit, as if he'd been expecting the answer. "Then you shall stay at the Kamiya Dojo. I'm sure Kaoru-dono wouldn't mind a visitor, de gozaru yo." She nodded her consent, not really caring where she stayed at this point as long as it was warm. "Besides, sessha doesn't think Megumi-dono would want you at the clinic with such 'minor' injuries. It would appear you two didn't get off on the right foot, de gozaru."

She shrugged. "Probably because we didn't."

He frowned. "You don't like her," he stated rather than questioned.

"Not really."

"Why?"

"Just don't."

"You should have a reason not to like someone, de gozaru yo."

Kyouki nearly rolled her eyes. "A reason huh…? Fine. She dresses funny."

Kenshin sweatdropped. "That's your reason?"

"You said I had to have a reason. You didn't say it had to be good."

----------------------------------------------

**Japanese Terms**

Souken no Shibun:  The Four Parts of Creation

Sessha: this unworthy one

And thanks as always to cymberleah for doing that beta thing. DEAD BIRD FALLING!! *looks around and blinks* Sorry, but I had to say something senseless or it just wouldn't have felt right. See ya next chap!


	7. Ending a Day

**Disclaimer****:  **I'm not awe-inspiring enough to own something as great as RK… that's why people like me go get rich and buy it! Course, I have to be rich first… *grumbles*

**Warning****:**  Life _is_ wonderful.

----------------------------------------------

**Souken no Shibun**

Ending a Day

----------------------------------------------

Kyouki… Where had he heard that name before? He stood there pondering it for a moment, but finally gave the endeavor up as hopeless. If she was that important, he'd eventually remember her. In the meantime though, perhaps he should actually pay attention to what was being said in there. After all, the one she was speaking with was another important person, one he was sure the Nentou already had plans for.

So Mystery Man #2 by way of the Northern Forest grabbed a crate and took a seat. Eavesdropping was always one of the best ways to get reliable information. Well, that and terrorizing lowly criminals. He leaned forward, searching the roads but saw no one. Terrorizing wrong doers was always so much fun he would have happily wasted the time. Not that he wasn't wasting it sitting here, but listening to other people talk was boring. At least, when they weren't supposed to know you were there. Oh well.

It got quiet for a moment and he feared they'd heard scuffling about. He heard a shoji slide and held his breath, waiting. The voices started again, only there was one less voice. He strained his ears to listen. The lady doctor had left. MM#2 didn't mind that as he was sure she wouldn't add anything useful to his already vast stores of knowledge. The other two, however, were different. He knew why Himura Kenshin was important and the attack on the girl only proved that she was as well.

Now if only they'd cut out the pleasantries and get to the stuff he cared about:  love, peace, and most importantly punishing those who strayed down the path of evil. People like the Nentou. People like the Nentou who had plans to take control of the nation. People like the Nentou who had plans to take control of the nation and use it to invade others nations. People like the Nentou wh-… An image of sushi implanted itself in his mind's eye and he immediately became bored with his former train of thought.

He leaned back against the restaurant wall and drooled over the imagined food, only half listening to the conversation taking place inside. He knew he was falling asleep however when the two suddenly starting discussing the possible repercussions of dancing naked in the streets while singing a cute little song about cookie and saving the world. Running around and fighting all those damn low-grade ninjas earlier had worn him out more than he cared to admit. He couldn't afford to be weak. Not when there was a nation's future hanging in the balance.

Surely it wouldn't hurt to take a little nap though. The two inside were silent again, something MM#2 had a feeling would happen at least a few more times before they actually started talking about anything important. In the meantime, dreaming about righteous hammers of justice smiting evil type people sounded like a very good plan. So he curled up on his box and set about doing just that.

******************************************************

Another watched from the shadows, but for a slightly different purpose. He had been observing the girl since the attack. He had also seen the man who stood back and watched the skirmish unfold. Now the same man was apparently eavesdropping on the girl's conversation. Or he was asleep. He couldn't be sure. All he knew was that the man was doing it without attracting the attention of either the girl or the Battousai. He didn't like what that implied. People who could hide their ki's from someone like the Battousai was a sign of bad things to come.

Although, technically, he and his group were those bad things, that wasn't the point. This newcomer was a wild card, one that surely wouldn't be tolerated. With the man sitting in the only place where one could hear the conversation from inside, the ninja decided his best course was to simply go and report back to his superiors. He jumped from his spot on the roof, missing the overly dramatic yawn as MM#2 watched him go.

******************************************************

Meanwhile, to the west, Michika still plodded along, using the mountains as her guide. So far divine providence had let her be and she was pleased with that. She'd managed to cover most of the distance back towards Tokyo. If she was correct, and she always was, she should arrive in Tokyo by the next morning. Add on a little time to find the Kamiya Dojo and one could safely say she'd be in the presence of Sano's friends by noon. So far, she hadn't seen anyone around, so she'd probably be able to visit that bit of family up north without too many worries.

For the past hour, though, something had been nagging at her. Swimming around in the back of her head, it was always just out of reach. It was rather annoying, like when one had something 'on the tip of their tongue'. She hated when that happened. She would end up babbling, making herself look like an idiot.

Not that it mattered. Running a restaurant, people didn't care about how smart she was. All they cared about was whether or not she could cook. As far as she was concerned, that was just fine. They didn't need to know her past or what other things she could do. And they definitely didn't need to know her cat's name. Normally, that wouldn't be considered important, but she'd found that she the few people she'd told had quit talking to her. She didn't see what was so wrong… Maybe they just didn't like cats.

In the distance, she spotted what had been identified at the outskirts of the Tokyo area. She paused to do a little jig of happiness. That done, she continued on a little faster than before, hoping to make better time.

She was still utterly clueless as to the man's predicament some miles behind her. She had never once turned back and his friends had gone off in search of something to slick his head down with. It would seem the poor man was to remain there for quite some time as his friends had found a bar on the way back and gotten drunk.

Michika smiled to herself. "Life _is_ wonderful."

******************************************************

Yahiko could hear Kaoru shuffling about in her room. She'd been up to something for the past hour and he got the feeling it probably meant someone was going to get hurt. When they'd come home, he left the shihondai in the yard, retreating to his room to concoct plans of such perversity; Kenshin would never again upset Kaoru. But try as he might, all he'd done was lie in his futon, staring at the ceiling. His mind was drawing a complete blank from the well of evil ideas, at least as far as plausible ideas went.

A few ideas had crossed his mind but there'd been no way in hell he could've pulled them off. Dressing Kenshin up as a girl would've been funny, but that's not exactly something the rurouni could be tricked into. And the damnable redhead was far too wily to be forced into revealing his feelings for Kaoru.

What else did that leave?

Getting Kenshin drunk was out. Kenshin only drank on special occasions to begin with, and even then only to satisfy Sano's pleas. There was only one time Sano had even gotten Kenshin to drink as much as he had. Kenshin had seemingly passed out, inviting teasing from the drunken Sano. However, Yahiko, being too young to drink, had enough wits about him to tell that Kenshin was simply putting on an act. After everyone else had passed out on the floor, he'd seen Kenshin get up, graceful as ever and clean the mess that was left over. It was no wonder the man could hold his liquor so well, though, considering who he was raised by. Hiko Seijuro was probably one of the few people in the world who could drink everyone under the table, then take on the entire Juppon Gatana one-handed and still win.

As Yahiko continued to ponder such things, Kaoru was ripping through her wardrobe for the prettiest kimono she had. It had to be one that she didn't wear often though… Ah-ha! There it was! Perfect, now one part of her plan was set. All that was left was to write the messages to Tae and Megumi… she'd send them out tomorrow morning. She was sure that Megumi would help and Tae probably would too, considering this was all in good fun.

Her plan would indeed be fun, at least for her and those who witnessed it. As for Kenshin, he could handle a little embarrassment. He deserved it after grinding her hopes of a confession into the ground. _You could always make the first move, you know_, a tinny voice in her head informed her. She bopped it with a mental bokken and it was silenced. Confessing first would be unladylike and pushy. Besides, she had already happily committed herself to this and couldn't imagine stopping. She wasn't going to hurt Kenshin, just play with him a little.

She had a plan. And it was good.

******************************************************

Kenshin was again taking the girl's measure. At first glance, she didn't seem like much. Back in the alley, however, her stance and grip on that metal bar were not that of a beginner. She hadn't truly defended herself up to that point though and apparently carried no weapons. She obviously had some tolerance to pain. Her mind was sharp as well, as was evident by the way she played on the technicality of his words. Not much had been said thus far, but it was enough. Kenshin knew that if he wanted any actual information from her, he'd have to be precise and direct, something he was not use to doing anymore.

As a possible line of questioning began forming in his head, he continued to watch her. She'd just finished describing her encounter with Megumi and was now in the middle of a staring contest with a bowl of soup Tae had given her. He hadn't paid attention before, but she did bear some similarities to him. Their face shapes were almost the same, though hers was slightly rounder. She'd taken her hair down when she'd woken and it fell around her looking a lot like Kenshin's did, only longer. Considering the lighting, he could see how Megumi would've mistaken Kyouki for him.

In a brighter light however, he doubted anyone would notice their likeness.

She wrinkled her nose finally and looked up at him, waiting patiently on his questions. He looked into her gray eyes, seeing only curiosity residing there. Not that such a thing was unusual, but it was obvious she'd been seeking him out. If not for the fact that he was Battousai or his sword skills, then why? Was she delivering a message? No, if that was her purpose she wouldn't be wasting time sitting here. Kyouki seemed to be observing him as much as Kenshin was her, but there was still no sense of malice or hidden intentions. "Sessha is the one you were looking for, de gozaru. Why?"

"I'm came to warn you."

"Someone from sessha's past, de gozaru ka?" Kenshin didn't actually expect her to know, but there was a chance. She did know he was about to be in trouble after all. She might have come by this information because she worked for the person that would be coming for him. Looking at her, he didn't think she was but he of all people knew that appearances could be deceiving.

She shrugged. "Maybe," she answered noncommittally. "Does it really matter?"

Kenshin frowned. "Yes. If I have wronged them in some manner, I must seek a way to set things right, de gozaru yo."

She nodded and seemed thoughtful for a moment. Her eyes wandered to the window they sat by for a split second, but Kenshin thought nothing of it. Flexing her fingers, she returned her attention to him. "To my knowledge, you have never met him, nor have you wronged him." Kenshin arched an eyebrow. Her expression deadpanned. "He is called the Nentou. I don't know of his true name."

"Strange name, the Mind…" Kenshin stared down into the cup of tea sitting before him. " If he doesn't want revenge, is he doing it for power then, de gozaru ka?"

She blinked, confused. "In a sense. You are among several who would stand in his way."

Kenshin's head shot up at the response. _Among several?!_ "What is it he's trying to do?"

She yawned. "Take over Japan, of course," she answered, her tone making it sound as if it were an everyday occurrence.

"Oh, is that all?" Kenshin mumbled sarcastically.

"Actually, that's just the beginning," came the sleepy response.

******************************************************

Kenshin inched the dojo gate open and peered in, searching for some sign of the residents. He heard a shoji slide open somewhere inside the house, socked feet padding quickly in his direction. This was soon followed by the image of Kaoru in her yukata. She paused on the porch, a worried expression settled upon her face. Kenshin smiled softly, happy in the knowledge that there would always be someone to worry about him.

"Mou! Kenshin, it's been an over an hour since you left! What took so long?"

Kenshin winced, knowing that without a good explanation Kaoru would beat him to a bloody pulp. Not that he would blame her; he'd certainly be worried too were their positions reversed. Lucky for him, he had a good one. He stepped the rest of the way in, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm sorry, Kaoru-dono. Sessha truly did not mean to be so late, de gozaru. It's just that there was a bit of trouble on the way there an-"

Before he could finish, she had already crossed the space between them and was looking him over for injuries. He nearly sweatdropped, watching her check over every inch of him for the telltale signs of hidden wounds. "Kaoru-dono, sessha is fine, really."

"What happened?"

He got a distant look. "Well, on the way back to the Akabeko, sessha heard someone getting attacked, de gozaru yo. Sessha managed to knock the man unconscious, but not before his victim was injured, I'm afraid," he said rather sorrowfully. Kaoru gave him a sympathetic look, but remained quiet. "Sessha took the girl back to the Akabeko and Megumi-dono was summoned to check on her injuries. Ano…" He played with the edges of his gi, giving her a pleading look. "Megumi-dono said someone needed to watch over her, but the girl's only just gotten into town and doesn't have a place to stay, de gozaru yo…"

Kaoru frowned. "I see." She looked down at her feet, mulling over what she'd been told. With Kenshin feeling responsible for this girl's injuries, he'd probably want to watch over her himself. Not to mention, turning someone out this late at night would seem rather rude. Another freeloader would mean less money though… she'd be right back where she started before Sano up and disappeared. _Sano…_ Maybe having someone else around to keep her attention wouldn't be so bad right now. She finally nodded her consent.

Kenshin smiled gratefully at her and stepped aside, allowing his charge to enter. He watched Kyouki as she quietly slipped in, gray eyes scanning her surroundings warily. They finally settled on Kaoru, narrowing slightly, and her body tensed. Kaoru blinked a moment and then, as if understanding the girl's concerns, smiled reassuringly. After a moment, he could feel Kyouki relaxing and thought it time for introductions. He placed a hand on Kyouki's shoulder to get her attention and waved his other in Kaoru's direction. "Kyouki-dono, allow me to introduce Kamiya Kaoru, shihondai of the Kamiya Kasshin and owner of this dojo, de gozaru."

Kyouki looked at Kaoru with a raised eyebrow. She knew as well as any other that women who practiced the fighting arts were unusual. For one to be the assistant master of a style though was simply unheard of. It would seem Kenshin was a man surrounded by women who were very deserving of one's respect. In fact, being a shihondai, this Kaoru probably demanded it. Being that the woman would be housing her for the night, Kyouki was only too happy to give it and bowed deeply. "Nice to meet you, Kamiya-san. I thank you for your hospitality. It is greatly appreciated." She straightened up and gave Kaoru the friendliest smile she could manage. "My name is Hisakata Kyouki."

Kaoru blinked a moment, so unused to getting such respect from anyone but Kenshin. There seemed to be something familiar about the girl, even more so with the show of respect, but Kaoru brushed the feeling aside. "It's nice to meet you as well, Hisakata-san. And please, call me Kaoru." She smiled brightly at Kyouki.

"Only if you call me Kyouki. Hisakata takes too long to say anyways."

At this, Kaoru chuckled. "Of course." She gestured back towards the house. "How about we take this conversation inside? It's a bit chilly tonight and I feel like some tea." The other two agreed and they quickly stepped inside. Kaoru lit some candles and set them on the table while Kenshin disappeared into the kitchen to prepare the tea. Kyouki took a seat at the end of the table, surveying the room. Not a moment later, Yahiko's head popped around the corner, taking in the new guest. Kaoru waved him in and he sat in his usual spot, eyeing the newcomer curiously. "Yahiko, this is Hisakata Kyouki." She took her seat, looking at Kyouki. "Kyouki-san, meet Myoujin Yahiko, my resident student and self-proclaimed 'Tokyo Samurai'." She waved a hand dramatically in the boy's direction. Yahiko glared fiercely at his teacher.

"Ah, well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Yahiko." She bowed her head slightly in his direction, grabbing the boy's attention.

He stared at her a moment, deciding something. Then he crossed his arms and smirked, snorting derisively. "Of course it is." He ignored Kaoru's growled warnings, only angering the already annoyed shihondai. "So I take it the busu's letting you stay here?"

Kyouki managed to keep herself from laughing when a bowl sailed across the table into the boy's face. A cute sounding 'oro' issued forth from the door and Kyouki turned to see Kenshin standing there, holding a tray of tea and blinking. He smiled then and she turned back to see Yahiko sitting up again, rubbing his face. Kyouki smiled as well and looked back at Kenshin. "Is it always like this?"

He nodded, his smile widening. "Welcome to the Kamiya Dojo."

----------------------------------------------

Japanese Terms 

Souken no Shibun:  The Four Parts of Creation

Sessha: this unworthy one

Shihondai: assistant master

Busu: ugly

**A/N: ** *grumbles* My hands hurt. They're swollen. 3 hours weedeating not good for continued good hand health... *nods*

And thankies as always to cymberleah for doing that beta thing. I make lots of mistakes, therefore she shall always have a job.


	8. Kaoru's Birthday Breakfast

**Disclaimer****:  ***rolls out one of those self-playing pianos to do the disclaimer ditty for her cause she's too lazy to do it herself*

**Warning****:**  Oh, dear God, it's the next day! *keels over from heart attack*

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**Souken no Shibun**

Kaoru's Birthday Breakfast

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Smells of cooking permeated the air, slowly rousing Kenshin from his slumber. He rolled onto his back and blinked back the sleep, noticing the dim light peeking through his window. Dawn. Someone was already up and fixing breakfast. That was unusual. Yahiko and Kaoru tended to sleep in a couple more hours before getting up for their training sessions.

Kaoru was the only one that ever deviated from the pattern and that was only when she needed to beat Kenshin to the kitchen to make breakfast. He admired her for the effort, but even he was forced to admit that Kaoru's food wasn't exactly the height of gourmet cooking. Or normal cooking for that matter… He remembered fondly the last time she'd tried to cook, just before Sano disappeared.

******************************************************

Apparently, Kaoru hadn't slept well that night and had decided to occupy her time with cooking. Being that they lived there, there wasn't much Kenshin and Yahiko could do to escape. Poor Sano had arrived just in time to miss his chance at escape as well. Kaoru had already finished preparing the meal and setting it on the table when the gangster had walked in. Trapped, the three males had sat down, Yahiko and Sano staring at their food as if _it_ would eat _them_. Kenshin just calmly picked his chopsticks, beginning the agonizing process of chewing the burned rice and swallowing the scorched miso, saving the crispy-fried fish for last. Kaoru tried so hard to cook them a decent meal, the least Kenshin could do was eat it, whether or not it actually managed to be edible.

A misplaced, but unusually innocent comment from Sano concerning the food sent Kaoru stomping out of the room, leaving a drenched rooster in her wake. Kenshin couldn't help but smile at the man's soggy, disgruntled look as Sanosuke pulled a now empty wash bucket from his head.

"Oi, what'd I say?"

Yahiko glared at the sodden street fighter who was currently wringing out his jacket, knowing that Kaoru's tantrums usually translated into harder training sessions for him. "She's not feeling well, you jerk. You should at least _try_ to be nicer to her." He glanced down at the chopsticks in his hands and grimaced at the charred piece of food they held. The boy hazarded a glance in the rurouni's direction to find Kenshin was still munching away, a smile plastered on his face. Yahiko didn't understand why or how Kenshin stomached it. Both Yahiko and Sano were convinced that Kaoru was out to poison them every time she cooked, but Kenshin ate it anyway. Yahiko shook his head, awe written across his features, before returning to glaring at the soaked Sano. He proceeded to verbally make everyone aware that as far as he was concerned, Sano deserved having the cold water poured over his head and it was funny as hell.

Unbeknownst to Yahiko, as the boy had turned his full attention upon Sano, Kenshin turned green around the gills and spit the wad of burned rice into a cloth hidden in his lap. Now that Kaoru had left, or rather 'stormed' out, he'd risk the chance of being caught rather than swallow another bite. He heartily agreed with the other two about the taste of the girl's cooking. It was definitely poisonous and he'd had the stomachaches to prove it, but Kami forbid they should ever find out what he did with her food when they weren't looking. He'd never hear the end of it from Yahiko and Sano, and if poor Kaoru ever found out, she'd be crushed. She always took heart in the fact that at least he ate her cooking and he did so love to see Kaoru smiling at him when he did. So Kenshin either ate it, or hid it until he could take a trip to the river. Yep, there was a reason he usually went for a walk after one of Kaoru's meals.

******************************************************

Kenshin sat up on his futon. If that was Kaoru in the kitchen, then it was already too late. He and Yahiko would just have to suffer through their internal pain and kiss up to Kaoru as best they could, especially since it was her birthday. He stood, slipping out of his yukata, and dressed in his usual attire. They weren't planning on doing much more than giving Kaoru gifts so there was no need for Kenshin to dress in his less-worn blue gi just yet. Not when he would have to be cleaning the kitchen after Kaoru's cooking venture and especially not since he still had laundry to do. He folded his futon and set it off in the farthest corner of his room.

Quietly slipping his sakabatou into his belt, he headed for the door. It wasn't that Kenshin didn't trust their new visitor. After all, he'd spent the night waking her. He knew she hadn't gone anywhere and had already found that she didn't possess a weapon. No, it wasn't Kyouki that he didn't trust; it was those she spoke of. The dojo had been invaded on more than one occasion so Kenshin knew better than to trust the illusionary security its walls offered during such times. The dojo walls hadn't kept Saito out, nor Enishi, or any of the others that had truly wanted in. So with the threat of danger hanging over his head once again, he would carry it with him as a precaution.

He reached a hand to open the shoji, but paused, staring at the rice paper and wood. A thought had struck him, concerning the current trouble. _Should I tell the others?_ They would only worry if he did, but they would also be in more danger. Ignorance was bliss only until it bit you in the ass. That was yet another thing that had proven true. He nodded to himself. Best to let them know so they'd at least be prepared to defend themselves should there be need.

He finally opened the shoji and stepped through, the smells of cooking stronger in the hall. Sounds of pans and other things being moved drifted to him from the kitchen. He quickly headed off in that direction. Best to help Kaoru while the meal was still unfinished so as to minimize the damage. Besides, it wouldn't do to have their injured guest get sick so soon after boarding with them. People would talk. Kyouki could wait 'til tomorrow to get food poisoning and die.

Then they'd be home free. 

******************************************************

He was too late.

As soon as Kenshin had reached the end of the hall, all sounds abruptly ceased. No clinking from pans, no scraping of socked feet, and no sounds of chopping… Strangely even the chirp from the morning crickets had died out. Kenshin could feel his pulse rising as fear swelled within him. A yawning hole was now forming where his stomach had been and Kenshin swore he heard the wind whistling through it. It was actually just a teakettle whistling in the kitchen. He tried swallow the knot building in his throat, but found his mouth was utterly dry. _I am not afraid, I am not afraid_, he chanted, gathering what courage he could muster. He reached up and slowly slid aside the panel separating him from the kitchen aside, revealing…

No one. Kenshin blinked, leaning further in to check any corners not immediately visible from the doorway. Still no one. He cautiously stepped in, wary of anything that might come flying at his head or be offered up for him to taste. However, the only thing he spotted was the few dirty pots and other things that had been used in making the upcoming meal. He silently padded over to the counter where they sat and inspected them. No wood chips, bent utensils, or food burned onto the pans. Which meant that more than likely it wasn't Kaoru who cooked. Kyouki then? Peering into the dining room, he found the table set with the food set out, but still no one around.

If it was Kyouki, then Kenshin was going to be a little annoyed. Not because she had cooked for them, but because she had cooked for them while she was still injured. Still, just in case it was some kind of fluke, he figured he'd better check Kaoru's room to see if she was still asleep. He headed back in the direction of their bedrooms and slinked over to Kaoru's door, carefully pushing it aside just enough to peek in. What he found was an empty room. _What if it is a fluke?_ Kenshin shuddered. If Kaoru had been the one to cook, Kenshin got the distinct feeling it was going to be like eating those pretty spotted mushrooms out in the forest versus the plain ones. With the flashy little spots, you just knew the thing was poisonous, usually ending up causing diarrhea or blindness… It was the plain ones, the ones you didn't see coming that really got you… The plain ones were even more poisonous than the pretty spotted ones.

This is why Kenshin feared for his life, now more so than ever. If her usual cooking gave him cramps, what would the 'normal' looking food do to him…? As his mind displayed the various consequences of eating such a meal, he hoped and prayed that it had been Kyouki in the kitchen. Not just for himself, but for everyone's sakes. He doubted Megumi would appreciate that many patients appearing on her doorstep.

Kenshin decided to go ahead and check on Kyouki to see if she was up as well. If she was, then he and the others still had a fifty/fifty chance of surviving this. He passed both his and Yahiko's rooms, and peeked into Kyouki's. Another empty futon. They might live after all. He slid the panel shut and listened to the sounds around the house. Again the sound of crickets, Yahiko mumbling something about 'get a room' in his sleep, the wind chimes… Ah, there, a soft scraping sound out in the front yard. He headed that direction and stepped out onto the porch, finding Kaoru sweeping the walk.

She looked up and smiled brightly at him. "Ah, good morning, Kenshin. Did you sleep well?"

"Aa." He looked around, but Kaoru appeared to be the only one out there. "Sessha saw that breakfast was already made…" Kaoru nodded silently, continuing to sweep. Kenshin fidgeted uncomfortably for a moment before putting on his most innocent smile. "Kaoru-dono, did you make it, de gozaru ka? It looks delicious…" _Deadly is more like it._ He wisely kept that comment to himself, though, and waited for her answer. She paused in her sweeping and gave him the most dazzling smile he'd seen on her yet. _Oh, great Kami, she did!_ Kenshin shifted from foot to foot nervously, waiting desperately for her to deny it.

She did not, however. Kaoru's smile widened into an outright grin and she lowered her head, continuing to sweep. _That's right, Kenshin, fear me… See the great Kamiya Kaoru and despair! Mwahaha!_ "Kenshin, could you go wake up Yahiko for me? I want to get an early start today." She watched him nod absently and disappear back into the house, apprehension clearly written in his movements. As soon as he was out of sight, she stopped sweeping and gave a thumbs up.

Up on the roof, Kyouki nodded, trying hard to contain her laughter. She'd never seen a man so scared of simple cooking. While the joke did poke fun at the girl's cooking, Kaoru said she didn't mind because the looks from the other two would be worth it. Kyouki heartily agreed with her now. Kenshin had looked so pale, like he'd been a man looking death in the face.

Kyouki had gotten up early that morning to take a walk. The air was always so cool and fresh in the hours just before dawn. Afterwards, she'd sat on the porch, waiting on the sunrise. That was how Kaoru had found her. The two had gotten to talking, mostly trivial things until Kaoru had finally spilled the beans about her and Kenshin. She told Kyouki what had happened the night before. Something stirred within Kyouki, though the only thing she could liken it to was a sense of excitement. She asked Kaoru if there was anyway she could help in Kaoru's plans to get back at Kenshin.

And that led them to where they were now:  Kaoru grinning maniacally and Kyouki finally allowing herself to give in to the chuckles that threatened. Kyouki did have some pity for the man. Kenshin had saved her after all, but the need to stir up trouble far outweighed the need to honor such a debt right now. From inside the house, there was a screech followed shortly by a string of curses.

Kaoru smirked. "Sounds like Yahiko just found out."

Kyouki doubled over from laughter and promptly fell off the roof.

******************************************************

Kaoru and Kyouki stepped into the dining area, giggling conspiratorially much to the two males' utter horror. Kenshin and Yahiko were still holding out some hope that it had been Kyouki cooking. Kenshin looked between the food and the women, hoping one of the two would magically disappear. Neither the food nor the girls did, however, and Kenshin resigned himself to the idea that he might die within the next few minutes. The two women sat down and began dishing food out into bowls for the boys. Once everyone had food and drink, Kaoru and Kyouki sat back, watching.

Yahiko and Kenshin both stared at the food. Everything seemed well prepared and it was all set up beautifully. This only made Kenshin more suspicious of the items sitting before him. Kyouki looked between the boys and Kaoru and shrugged, wielding her own pair of chopsticks. She reached down, popped some rice in her mouth, and washed it down with some miso. She licked her lips and smiled at the others. Then blanched.

She turned to Kaoru, giving her a strained smile. "This is… very good, Kaoru-san."

Kaoru grinned. "Isn't it? I told you my cooking was one of a kind." Kyouki made a noise of agreement and Kaoru turned her attention to the boys. "Well? Eat up you two." The pale pair went white as sheets and looked down at their food again. Kaoru grinned evilly, the glint in her eyes promising terrible pain if they did not comply with her… request. At seeing this look, whatever blood was left in Yahiko's face drained away. His eyes rolled up into his head and he passed out, making a resounding thump in the silence as he hit the floor.

Kenshin didn't even pay the unconscious boy any mind for he was busy with his own internal war. Death by poison or by bokken? Neither were very promising choices, but… Kaoru had extensive knowledge of kenjutsu. He couldn't very well defend himself against her and avoiding the blows only promised worse pain later. He picked up the bowl of miso, figuring it was the best way to go. If he swallowed fast, he wouldn't have to taste it. Then again, he wasn't being fair to Kaoru by doing that. If she had truly cooked this, then he needed to honor her effort and at least taste it. Kenshin brought the bowl to his face and frowned at it. Taking a deep breath, he tilted the bowl and sipped at its contents.

Kaoru and Kyouki broke out into obnoxious laughter, startling Kenshin enough that he spilled the soup all over himself. This only made them laugh harder as he swallowed what he managed to get into his mouth. Surprisingly enough, the food actually tasted good. A far cry from being the best, but it was nowhere near the scorched mess Kaoru tended to produce. The girls quieted down and he lowered the bowl, the shock evident enough on his face that it warranted another round of chuckles from the females. He blinked and looked over at them. 

Kyouki's earlier reaction was obviously faked, meaning that the two had planned the whole thing. Kaoru's sapphire eyes twinkled brightly as she reigned in her control once again. Kyouki, on the other hand, nearly choked when she decided she could eat and still laugh at the same time. She spent the next few minutes trying to dislodge a grain of rice that went up her nose. Kenshin's mouth gaped open, but he'd apparently been rendered speechless. Kaoru could see the question dancing in his eyes, however, and happily informed him of the answer. 

"Yes, I'm the one that cooked it."

His mouth flopped a couple of times before he managed to keep it shut, still unable to speak. Kaoru snickered, wondering if Kenshin's reaction was this bad, what would Yahiko's be like… She glanced in the boy's direction, only to find him still passed out on the floor. Most likely the knowledge that Kaoru had managed to cook well and not set anything on fire would probably leave the kid comatose for days.

"H-how?" Kenshin finally managed to squeak. Kaoru being able to cook surely heralded the end of the world. What other explanation could there be besides armageddon?

Kaoru frowned a bit, but managed to keep any scathing comments to herself. _Today is the day I get you back, Himura Kenshin, for everything left unsaid and all the worry you've caused me,_ she thought giddily and mentally cackled. Unfortunately, she actually cackled out loud, which was apparently too much for poor Kenshin to handle. Another thump signaled his joining Yahiko on the floor.

Kyouki watched the brief exchange, quite proud of her involvement. Kaoru had done the actual cooking, but Kyouki had hovered over her constantly, directing her movements and scolding her inattentions. When Kaoru had grabbed a knife to cut the vegetables, Kyouki suddenly found herself fearing for her life. Kaoru's grip on the hilt just begged for it to go flying out of her hand. In fact, if one were to stand at the counter right then and look up, they'd find the first knife Kaoru had used imbedded in the ceiling… So Kyouki had sliced the vegetables, arranged the finished food in their containers, and set the table.

With Kaoru now busy checking on her unconscious charges, Kyouki excused herself. She had to find something to clean up the mess Kenshin had made with the miso. Besides, she still needed find some way of getting that damn rice out of her nose.

----------------------------------------------

**Japanese Terms**

Souken no Shibun:  The Four Parts of Creation

Kami: God

**A/N: ** *blinks* I used up all my talking energies yesterday... Hmm, maybe if I drank some more soda... *goes off to find some*

*clears her throat* Anyways, lotsa thankies to cymberleah for reviewing and for doing that beta thing before I posted.


	9. Posing Questions

**Disclaimer****:  **If I owned RK, the girls would be hanging off the guys, the guys would be hanging off the guys, and everyone would have nifty magic powers. *smiles* Now aren't we glad I don't own it? *goes off to play with her candle* Fire is fun…

**Warning****:**  Ugh, I don't know why I've still got this up here. It's just another excuse to ramble… hmm... I know! I hereby warn you that Yahiko might be OOC (whether or not he actually is, I have no clue). He finally has some time in the spotlight, but I don't know if I was able to pull him off well enough. I love him but I never paid much attention to him outside of the goofy skirmishes with Sano and Kaoru… *sweatdrops*

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**Souken no Shibun**

Posing Questions

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The steam rose about Kenshin like a fine mist, tickling his nose and obscuring his vision. Not that there was much to see. He now sat in the furo at the insistence of Kaoru. The heat from the bath was soothing and Kenshin could feel his muscles relaxing, one by one. He sighed contentedly and sunk further into the hot bath.

Kenshin had only been unconscious for a few minutes during the breakfast fiasco. After waking, he and the two girls had managed to get Yahiko up, taking a few minutes to convince him that the food wasn't going to bite his face off, then returning to their own meals. Upon finishing and taking the dishes to the kitchen, Kaoru had pushed him the direction of the furo, claiming he needed a bath to rid himself of the miso smell. As soon as he was in, she entered the outer room and took his dirty clothes, saying she would return with clean ones.

She hadn't come back yet, but he didn't mind. He only had one pair of clean clothes right now – his blue gi and gray hakama. They were already sitting out, so he was sure she'd easily find them. In the meantime, he might as well enjoy the impromptu bath.

******************************************************

Kaoru looked around Kenshin's room once again. There was still no sign of his blue gi or his gray hakama. The rest of his clothes were dirty and already sitting out in the washtub, waiting for Kenshin to scrub them clean. She went through his room once again, still coming up with nothing. _Weird…_ Kenshin was one of those people that seemed to have a place for everything, though he wasn't obsessive-compulsive about it. No, Kenshin would never be obsessive-compulsive. He just liked knowing where things were in case he needed them for some obscure reason.

So to not find his clothes folded in their usual spot seemed horribly out of character. She shook her head and grabbed his yukata, it being the only thing she could find at the moment. Surely it was better than nothing… _Or not_, Kaoru thought as a rather pleasing image made itself known. _No!_ another part of her screamed and she blinked back the vision. She refused to have Kenshin running around like some kind of exhibitionist. She sniffed the air. _At least, not when there's company…_ She chuckled and headed for the bath with his yukata in hand.

******************************************************

Kyouki, being no fan of doing the dishes, had offered to do the laundry when she found Kaoru heading back to the furo with a yukata. Kaoru shook her head, claiming Kenshin guarded that responsibility religiously. She told Kyouki to just relax, that she was a guest after all. Kyouki, whether or not she was a guest, felt that she needed to do _something_. Being barred from the laundry, she paced between the house and the dojo, the idea of inactivity bothering her.

Even though she had only herself to take care of back in her little hut, she rarely remained still for more than a few minutes. She was always doing something, whether it was chores, painting, or working in her small garden. And when she wasn't doing that, she was walking back and forth from town to sell her paintings or get supplies.

So sitting around doing nothing just seemed utterly wrong somehow. Something whistled through the air, catching her attention. She paused and turned towards its origin, the dojo. The sound came again and she found herself quietly stalking towards it. Again and again, the whistle announced the presence of someone in the dojo. Considering she'd just seen Kaoru, it was more than likely Yahiko. She stepped onto the porch surrounding it and quietly slid open the shoji, inspecting the room. It was large and unfettered by furnishings, as a dojo should be. To the back, a small shrine was visible with some swords on display. Off on one wall, there were several bokkens and shinais set up for use.

And standing in the middle was Yahiko, doing his practice katas. She watched him for a moment, hypnotized by the repeated swings of the shinai he was practicing with. When next she spoke, her voice was barely a whisper, but it was enough to make Yahiko jump. "What are you doing?"

He turned and glared at the girl watching him through a barely cracked door. Her silent appearance and the use of the door to hide her from view strangely reminded him of a stray cat. "What does it look like, baka-neko? I'm doing practice swings." He swung the shinai around a little to further prove the statement.

Kyouki frowned and opened the door a little more. "Why? Kaoru-san's not here yet to make you do them."

Yahiko rolled his eyes. "I don't know when the busu's coming, but if I'm not doing them when she gets here, she'll kick my ass." With that said, he turned and started swinging the training sword again. He knew she was still there, though, watching him even after a few minutes passed in relative silence.

"Is that the only reason?" she finally asked, almost too quiet for him to hear.

His swing faltered and he spun back towards her, eyes narrowed. She was staring at the floor in front of her though, seeming thoughtful. They stood like that for a few moments, before the sound of a door sliding shut nearby broke the silence. Kyouki blinked, looking up into Yahiko's fierce glare before quickly skittering off. Yahiko stood there a little longer, wondering, before returning to his katas. _Creepy…_

******************************************************

It wasn't her fault.

Really, it wasn't.

When Kyouki had gone in search of something to clean the soup up with, she'd been looking for either rags or the rattiest pieces of cloth she could find. Apparently, ratty pieces of cloth should have been struck from her list. Kaoru had just informed Kyouki that her choice of cleaning material was actually Kenshin's last pair of clean clothes. Those same clothes were also Kenshin's least worn looking clothes as well. _Oops._ Kyouki hung her head, feeling bad over making such a mistake. She was surprised to hear Kaoru chuckling over it though.

"It's perfect!"

Kyouki blinked at the girl, more than a little confused. How was possibly ruining Kenshin's best set of clothes perfect? Unless of course, you were in a perverted mind set… Then it could be considered perfect. Flaming red hair, soft violet eyes, walking around all day dressed in only a flimsy robe… Indeed, it could be perfect then. Kyouki quickly reined in her hormones however. Taking advantage of her scantily clad savior was not on her agenda for the day. Although the idea had merit, she had other things to attend to. Like trying to find out why Kaoru still thought the situation so perfect.

Kaoru displayed a rather evil grin then and waved Kyouki closer. Kenshin would be out of the bath any minute now and she didn't want him to overhear.

******************************************************

Kenshin slipped into his yukata. Today just wasn't his day and he had a feeling it was only going to get worse. To begin with, they had an injured visitor they knew almost nothing about. Second, there was still the threat posed by this Nentou fellow. Third, Kaoru had scared both him and Yahiko shitless during breakfast. And now, his last pair of clean clothes had been used to wipe up the dining room floor. Tying his hair back, he stepped out of the bathhouse and headed for his room, intent on trying to hide there for the rest of the day.

He quickly realized though that such an endeavor would be a futile effort. Today was Kaoru's birthday. Not only would hiding in his room be rude, but she'd eventually drag him out by his hair anyways. He stopped, spun on his heel, and headed for the laundry tub. He'd work out his aggression on the various stains that checkered their clothing. With any luck, some of his clothes would be dry enough to wear before Kaoru decided to head to the market.

******************************************************

Kyouki nodded, shifting her position on the porch slightly. "I see."

Kaoru had yet another little plan set up to torture Kenshin. She'd thought of it last night, but hadn't quite worked out just how she'd manage it. Kyouki had provided the answer, though completely through accident. Kaoru's day couldn't get any better. Well, yes it could, but only after her plans came to fruition. And for that, she needed Kyouki's assistance again. "Please, Kyouki-san? All you need to do is deliver the messages. That's it."

Kyouki leaned back against a post and contemplated the possible rewards of helping to further Kaoru's success. On one hand, she would not experience the rewards of the venture first hand, yet could still be linked to the… crime. On the other hand, even a secondhand telling would likely be well worth the trouble. Besides, now that she was feeling better, she was up for a rematch with the kitsune. Grinning at the prospect, she agreed to take Kaoru's little mission. She bounced up from her spot and, standing in front of Kaoru, bowed deeply. "As you wish, Oh Great and Powerful Kamiya-sama."

Kaoru rolled her eyes good-naturedly as the girl straightened. "Why thank you, Hisakata-san, for your willing cooperation. I'm sure you will do nothing less than succeed." They chuckled, sharing another conspirational smile.

Kyouki waved a hand then. "But before I go deliver your messages, I'd like to go apologize to Kenshin-san. After all, using his clothes as rags really was accident." She visibly sweatdropped.

Kaoru stood, brushing the dirt from her hakama. "Of course. Besides, I have still have to write the messages, not to mention check on Yahiko. If left alone for too long, the mistakes in his form might become an unacceptable habit." Kyouki nodded absently, Yahiko's training apparently beyond the scope of her interests. The girl smiled genuinely at Kaoru though before heading off to look for Kenshin.

Kaoru watched her go, getting a sense of inconsistency from the other's behavior. She shrugged the feeling off though, as there was nothing readily apparent in Kyouki's actions that would indicate something was wrong. She turned then, heading into the house in search of paper and ink. _The fun has only just begun, dear Kenshin…_

******************************************************

Kyouki had turned the corner of the house and stopped. As the minutes passed, she slowly inched closer, but had yet to actually speak to Kenshin. He knew that if she really wanted to, she'd speak to him in her own time. Meanwhile, he'd simply ignored her presence, as it would only remind him of the day's annoyances. At some point, Kaoru had appeared and given her something before rushing back into the house. After another few minutes passed in relative silence, Kenshin looked over to find that Kyouki was gone.

His brow knit together momentarily and returning his attention to the washtub, he nearly jumped out of his skin. Mist gray eyes were peering at him over the tub's edge, studying him. Kenshin frowned when he actually realized she was lying on the ground, eliciting a few chuckles from Kyouki. The girl rolled onto her back and stared up at the sky. With her literally rolling in the dirt, Kenshin could at least be sure there'd be no shortage of laundry during her stay.

"I wanted to apologize… for using your clothes to clean up that mess."

He forced a smile onto his face, waving a soap-covered hand in her direction. "Do not worry about it, Kyouki-dono. Things happen, de gozaru." He dropped the smile and began scrubbing away a particularly stubborn grass stain as she sat up. He hadn't even realized that by the time she spoke again, he had long since rid the article of clothing of its unsightly spot. In fact, he'd scrubbed it so much, that he'd worn a hole in the clothing… which just happened to be one of Kaoru's practice gis. _I'm doomed…_

"Who are you?"

Kenshin blinked in confusion, focusing on Kyouki's backside. "You know who sessha is, de gozaru."

Kyouki shook her head. "You are Kenshin… and yet at the same time, you are not." She turned her head back towards him, her expression serious. "You are more than you appear to be. I've seen it… the shadow lurking just behind your eyes. You deny the existence within you; therefore you deny a part of that which makes you who you are. You are not complete, therefore you are not Kenshin." She looked up at the sky again. "You simply are," she finished wistfully.

Kenshin frowned, watching her stand. _By Kami, that was almost as confusing as Aoshi's damn Zen lectures. I wonder if she's hallucinating from a fever or something…_

Kyouki dusted herself off and, giving him a half-hearted smile, started walking off. "Oh yeah… Kaoru-san wanted to see you about something." With that, she disappeared out the dojo gates.

******************************************************

_How the hell did I get myself into this?_

"Kaoru-dono… sessha does not think this is a good idea, de gozaru yo." He fidgeted beneath Kaoru's even gaze. She stared at him thoughtfully, tapping her chin. She was completely ignoring his pleas for sanity. She circled him like a shark would their victim… Kenshin was suddenly highly disturbed by the analogy. She did pause in her predatorial movement long enough to give him that sweet smile he loved so much. _I know exactly how I got into this:  one arm through one hole and the other out another…_ "Kaoru-dono, sessha can't breathe, de gozaru."

"You're not supposed to," she said dismissively.

"W-what?! But… but…" He tried to come up with some reason why this inhumanity shouldn't be allowed to continue. "What if sessha has to fight someone, de gozaru ka?" Knowing how prone he was to attracting trouble, surely that would be reason enough for her to stop the insanity.

"Oh, suck it up Kenshin. It's only going to be for a couple of hours."

Kenshin thought it rather childish of him to be whining, but the situation was special therefore he did. "But Kaoru-dono, sessha doesn't want to… there's a draft, de gozaru yo…" He'd known this day would get worse, but he hadn't quite expected it to go in that direction…

Kyouki popped her head through the door, grinning. "Don't be such a baby, Kenshin. You'll be fine," she commented.

Kenshin frowned sourly at her. "When did you get back, Kyouki-dono?"

"Just a second ago," she replied. She did a quick once-over of Kenshin, a slightly lecherous smile touching upon her lips. "Nice…" She chuckled before sneaking off to some other place.

Kaoru crossed her arms, glaring at the spot just vacated by Kyouki for a moment then turned a pouting look on Kenshin. "You promised you'd go to the market with me today, remember? Besides, with Kyouki here, we're going to need more food than I can carry by myself and Yahiko already told Tae he'd help out at the Akabeko today. I can't ask Kyouki because she's still injured." She tugged lightly on his sleeve. "Please?"

He sighed, knowing it was much too late to say no. He was already dressed so why not? But why did this plan of Kaoru's almost parallel the panicked answer he'd thought up the night before when he was trying to avoid revealing his feelings? It was even the same kimono he'd been thinking of. The deep blue one that matched her eyes so well. He now knew why Kaoru tended to seem more comfortable in her training clothes… because she literally was. He thought it was just her state of mind when dressed a certain way, not actually a physical matter. Thankfully, Sano and a few others, namely Hiko and Saito, weren't around to see this. Who'd have ever thought that he'd be dressed in a woman's kimono? When Kaoru had suggested the idea, he had just stared at her, frozen, like a rabbit in front of an oncoming carriage. _Well, at least she hasn't tried to fix my hair…_ He looked over to find Kaoru inspecting some matching ribbons and finally bolted out of the room.

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**Japanese Terms**

Souken no Shibun:  The Four Parts of Creation

Furo:  bathtub

Yukata:  robe

**A/N: ** Whee!! Another set of chappies compressed! Yay for me! Maybe more people will read now that it doesn't look so scary... *sighs*

Again and again, I thank cymberleah for her beta thing. *smiles* Much like Vash and the insurance ladies, she shall always be known to me as the Author Lady.


	10. Kenshin in a Kimono!

**Disclaimer****:  **I don't own the stuff, I just watch. I do intend to own the world someday though. No, not rule it; just own it. I'll leave the actual work to the little sis, Topo.

**Warning****:**  Kya ha ha ha!! Almost there! Now for random typos! Siuha98hi8sdnfh8! Sdjhfll hdjso weuiyfbn f0!

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**Souken no Shibun**

Kenshin in a Kimono!

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Kyouki and Yahiko stared at each other.

Just stared. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Kyouki's left eye twitched slightly. Yahiko's nostrils flared. Yet still nothing happened.

Someone's hand brushed against the dojo floor, but neither searched the sound out to see which of them produced it. Somewhere outside, a shoji was opened and closed. However, Kyouki and Yahiko never moved an inch. There came the scraping of steps on the path to the dojo, but still they did not inspect the origin of the sound.

Kaoru slid the door aside to find this scene. She arched an eyebrow, curious as to what they were doing. Or weren't doing, as it were. Yahiko was facing Kaoru's direction, a determined look on his face, while Kyouki had her back turned. Neither moved, twitched, or even gave the tiniest sign of noticing her. Even as she moved forward, making herself readily visible to both, still they gave no recognition of her presence. The two of them just sat there, staring each other quietly.

She could still see the resolved look on Yahiko's face, though whatever it was they were doing, Kyouki apparently did not mirror him. Rather, she appeared calm and serene.  Not that Kaoru actually cared what was going on with the two at the moment. All she wanted was their attention long enough to inform them that she and Kenshin were leaving. But with both refusing to even look at her, she'd have to do something. Being that Kyouki was a guest and injured, not to mention Yahiko was in trouble anyways, he was Kaoru's chosen target.

She stalked over and bent down low enough to bring her mouth level with Yahiko's ear. She took a deep breath and noticed a slight tensing of his posture as she did so. She grabbed a hold of his ear and pulled him closer. "Kenshin and I are going to market now. Try not to tear up the place while I'm gone, Yahiko-CHAN!" she veritably screamed in the boy's captured ear.

He screeched painfully and jerked away from her, holding the victimized body part. He rolled back and hopped to his feet, a glare already in place. "What the hell did you do that for, BUSU?!"

Kaoru shrugged. "You weren't paying attention to me." She gestured towards Kyouki who now wore a triumphant grin. "Just what were you two doing?"

Yahiko opened his mouth, already preparing to yell, when he too noticed the grin. "Dammit! Now look what you've done. You made me lose."

Kaoru blinked, then realization struck. "You were having a staring contest?"

Kyouki's grin widened. "Keyword being 'were'." She looked up at Kaoru. "Thanks to you, I just won." She had only just started to cackle when her face connected with the floor.

"Baka!" Kaoru turned away and started heading back out. "I'm leaving now."

The shoji closed behind her and Kyouki picked herself up off the floor, Yahiko's snickers filling her ears. "Hush, brat! At least I won." His eyes narrowed and he plopped himself back down in front of her.

"Again."

******************************************************

The market was unusually crowded, much to Kenshin's chagrin. At least, it seemed that way to him. Kaoru, on the other hand, apparently thought nothing of the extra people crowded around them as she continued to push her way through them. Kenshin wondered if it was normal for people to be staring at him that much. He usually didn't pay attention, but being dressed in the kimono made him feel self-conscious. He could swear he was getting looks even more lecherous than the one Kyouki had given him earlier… and most of them weren't from women.

The stares from the women made him uncomfortable, but the looks he kept getting from the men made him downright scared. He was convinced one of them was going to try and drag him away from Kaoru into some deserted alley. Not that the fools would make it, but Kenshin was sure they'd try. Kaoru was already dragging him along by his hand, but with each passing second, she had to drag him less and less. Paranoid of the stares, Kenshin kept getting closer to Kaoru. In the less logical part of his mind, Kenshin kept hoping he would somehow melt into her backside thereby avoiding the supposed looks.

He nearly jumped when Kaoru reached back and grabbed his shoulder. "Calm down, Kenshin."

Kenshin nodded calmly enough, but he was pretty sure he'd have hyperventilated by now if it weren't for the kimono constricting his breathing. He managed to dodge a couple hands that finally did come his way, but other than that and the dozens of surely perverted stares, the walk around the marketplace was… loud, hot, and annoying. However, Kaoru seemed happy enough, so he didn't complain when the nice fat man started flirting with him or when a passing young woman pinched his ass. He just huddled closer to Kaoru in the hopes that it would protect him from some of the people.

Kaoru passed a few stalls, only pausing long enough to check over some things. She ended up buying Kenshin a new set of clothes and enough food to feed an army. Kenshin was too busy frantically looking every which way so he never noticed her purchases. Being that the food was a bit much even for both her and Kenshin to carry, she paid a few extra coins to have everything delivered to the dojo instead. If he was hidden behind packages, then no one could see him. If no one could see him, it made all her work pointless. She was slightly put off by the amount of attention he was getting, especially when in comparison to her, but this was what she wanted after all. So she didn't mind. Really she didn't. And stomping on his foot when that girl pinched him was a complete accident. Honest.

After a couple more stops, she finally steered them in the direction of the Akabeko. Kenshin didn't even realize where she was leading him until it was too late. As soon as the smell of food assaulted his nose, he quickly realized his mistake. Not only was Kenshin dressed in a kimono in public, but now he would be in a place where people knew him. He turned to leave, but Kaoru grabbed him by his hair and dragged him the rest of the way in. 

Tae greeted them, thankfully ignoring Kenshin's choice of clothing. "Good morning, you two! How are things going?" Kaoru smiled happily and reported any goings on at the dojo that Tae didn't already know about. Kenshin sat quietly behind, eyes flicking from Kaoru to the patrons every once in a while. Tae felt sorry for Kenshin, but she'd help Kaoru if only because she was the only paying customer out of the Kenshin-gumi.  Megumi paid, but seeing as her home was now in Aizu, Tae didn't really consider her part of the group anymore. "Kaoru honey, have you seen Yahiko? He was supposed to come in fifteen minutes ago, but he still hasn't shown up and we're swamped."

Kaoru shook her head. "Last I saw him was at the dojo earlier." Tae sighed and Kaoru placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "I'm sure he'll be here soon, Tae." She then brightened suddenly. "I know! I've got one more place to stop at, but Kenshin could substitute for now." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kenshin pale, however he remained quiet. "If Yahiko's not here by the time I get back, I'll go home and drag him here."

Tae turned a hopeful look on Kenshin. "Oh, would you?!"

Kenshin looked between the two women, Kaoru giving him a pleading look and Tae's expression still hopeful, and nodded his agreement. "Hai, Tae-dono. Sessha will help you, de gozaru." Tae thanked him and bowed deeply, before disappearing into the kitchen. She soon returned though, carrying an apron, which she shoved into Kenshin's hands.

"Time to get to work then." She pointed off to the tables in the far corner. "You'll be waiting those tables over there."

Kenshin followed the line of sight back to the specified tables. They were filled with several men and women conversing loudly and shoving food into their mouths. A few unsavory looking ones caught Kenshin's attention and he frowned, already seeing the potential for more leers and pinching. No, today was not a good day for him at all…

******************************************************

Kaoru slipped into the clinic as quietly as she could and searched out the lady doctor. Hopefully, Megumi had gotten her message from Kyouki. Kyouki seemed dependable enough, but when Kaoru had mentioned the woman to Kyouki, she'd gotten a mischievous glint in her eyes. She could only pray that whatever Kyouki did, Megumi wouldn't hold it against Kaoru right now.

She found Megumi in the back office, filing away some of Dr. Genzai's papers. A soft knock on the open shoji was enough to catch the older woman's attention as Kaoru entered the room. "Did you get my message?"

Megumi paused, nodding, and then continued what she was doing. "Yes, I did. I must say the message was rather interesting, although I deplore your choice of carriers." The older woman got a sour look that more than described Megumi's dislike of Kyouki. She looked up, eyeing Kaoru for a moment before smiling. "I've already prepared something…"

******************************************************

Kyouki was staring Yahiko down again.

Yahiko eyed her from beneath his spiky bangs. _Seventeen…_ "Call."

Keeping her eyes trained on Yahiko's face, she reached forward and looked at what she'd grabbed. She growled, setting it down for Yahiko to see. A superior look passed over his face as she made the announcement. "Twenty-four. Bust."

Yahiko reached forward, intending to claim his reward from her when Kyouki's snatched the money pile away from him. "Double or nothing."

Yahiko grinned and nodded. "You're on."

******************************************************

"Kenshin, I need you to take table five's order."

Kenshin, setting some used dishes in one of the sinks, found Tae peering in from the dining room.

"Yahiko's still not here and I had to send Tsubame on an emergency run to the market."

He nodded and she thanked him profusely before heading back to her post at the door of the restaurant. Kenshin sighed and pushed some wrinkles out of his apron. He wrinkled his nose, noticing the stains that had somehow managed to find their way onto the garment. No doubt the result of those overly friendly men he'd served recently. Thankfully, they'd left before Kenshin lost his temper and popped their hands with his serving tray. Although the perverts severely deserved it, he didn't think Tae would be terribly appreciative of his reaction.

Kenshin reached back, tightening the tie in his hair before stepping into the dining area. It wouldn't do to have hair in the nice people's food… _Nice, my ass._ He pushed the covering on the kitchen door aside and looked around, observing the comings and goings of the patrons. _If I had a mind to… I'd… I'd… piss in their soup!_ Kenshin hung his head, knowing that while he might imagine doing such a thing, he would never actually follow through.

With his bangs covering his eyes, Kenshin made his way desolately to table five. Even though he watched the floor, he was able avoid the furniture and people easily. As he neared the table, he pulled a pad from his sleeve to place the order on. _I wonder just how many more people are going to try and grope me today…_ Upon reaching the table, Kenshin forced a cheerful smile on his face and looked up at the customer. "What would you li-" The question immediately died on his lips, much the way Kenshin wish he could at that moment.

"They say a picture is worth a thousand words," came the amused reply.

Kenshin tensed, his eyes narrowing to angry slits. "What do you want?"

"Some food would be nice, Battousai," one Saito Hajime answered smoothly, a smirk finding its way onto his face. He leaned forward, sliding a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. Kenshin's eye twitched, but he nodded, offering the man a menu. Saito's eyes quickly scanned over it, taking in all the choices within seconds. He took a drag from his cigarette and looked as if he were considering a life or death situation. Kenshin played with the kimono's sleeves as Saito decided, seeming to take an inordinate amount of time to do so.

Kenshin's hand drifted to where his sakabatou would normally be tied. Even though Saito seemed relaxed enough, Kenshin knew it was simply a façade. However, he didn't really expect Saito to start something in the middle of the restaurant. He was just feeling threatened, something he knew was being magnified a thousand fold by his current attire.

"I'll have tori no mizutaki and tea." Kenshin nodded but Saito's voice stopped him short of writing it down. "Wait. Belay that. Oyako-donburi sounds better. Keep the tea." Kenshin raised the pad, only to be brought up short by Saito once again. "Forget the tea. Make it water." Kenshin frowned, getting the distinct feeling that Saito was doing this to him on purpose. Ok, he **knew** Saito was doing it on purpose, but there wasn't much he could do about it. _Except 'flavor' the soup… I think I could make an exception just this once for Mibu's Wolf._ Kenshin grinned evilly, eliciting a raised eyebrow from the taller man.

Kenshin wiped the look from his face and gave Saito the most innocent smile he could muster. "Will that be all?" Saito made an affirmitive noise and Kenshin stalked off towards the kitchen to place the order. Saito surely wasn't here without reason, which could only mean bad things to come. That man pursued trouble like… like a wolf tracked its prey. He had to give it to Saito; the man certainly lived up to his namesake. The only times he'd seen Saito in Tokyo though were when the hunt involved Kenshin or something connected to him. Kenshin frowned, finding the connecting puzzle piece. _The Nentou…_

******************************************************

'Attempts on my life' he says…

Sizzle…

'Want you to cook it' he says…

Stir…

'Can't be too careful' he says…

Crack.

Kenshin looked down to find the wooden spoon he'd been holding was now snapped in two. Not only had Saito entered the kitchen to change his order again, but he'd done so twice now. And he'd asked that Kenshin himself cook it 'just to be sure' no one poisoned his food. Of course, Kenshin was forced to comply for a number of reasons. One being that he was working at the Akabeko for the moment, therefore the paying customer was always right… even if they were annoyingly sadistic. Another was that Saito was a policeman and people preferred not to make any trouble with the police. Kenshin was sure Tae generally included herself among those, so he remained civil rather than trying to throw the man out the door on his ass.

Kenshin had waited a few minutes before beginning the work on Saito's meal, just in case. However, the man had not made another appearance, so Kenshin started on his order. Saito had finally decided upon shabu-shabu and curry. This didn't leave much room for Kenshin to screw up the order. Not that he would have, Kenshin did have his pride after all. He just liked having the choice and Saito hadn't allowed him that. Which meant that upon his return to the wolf's table, he'd have to settle for the traditional 'death glare' approach. Of course, glaring wasn't very effective, but it was somewhat satisfying anyways.

After looking around to make sure no one had spotted the broken utensil he was holding, Kenshin slinked over to an open window and sent the useless thing sailing through. On his way back to the stove, he grabbed another and made sure to put it down this time when he wasn't using it. It would look a little suspicious if more than one of Tae's spoons mysteriously disappeared…

******************************************************

"One…"

Two fists of opposing figures were raised into the air.

"Two…"

Again, they were raised, synchronous in their movement.

"Three…"

The two hands came down for the final time.

"Go."

Yahiko's remained in a fist. Kyouki's hand was now laying flat, palm down. With a whoop of joy, Kyouki stood and started dancing around, cackling obnoxiously all the while. Thus, Yahiko, who was already under the effects of 'underwater' hearing thanks to Kaoru, was now legally deaf. This explained why he never heard Kaoru coming… Strangely, he wasn't her first target though. Apparently, she didn't appreciate Kyouki's raucous laughter either. So he wasn't terribly surprised by the shihondai's presence when he saw Kyouki's limp body go flying across the room into a wall. Kaoru came over to stand beside him and they both waited for her to fall backwards as the minutes ticked by. However, her splayed form remained plastered to the wall so the two quickly lost interest.

Kaoru turned to Yahiko with hands on her hips and stared him down. He stared back for a minute, and then decided the moment was too reminiscent of Kyouki's earlier victory. He yawned and stretched, unconcerned for now with whatever reasons Kaoru was angry with him. "What is it this time?"

Kaoru raised an eyebrow. It was rare that Yahiko was ever late for work at the Akabeko, even rarer still that he would neglect his duties. He was usually all too eager to get away from Kaoru and the 'training' she put him through. It must have been because she'd given him the day off from said training that he'd relaxed enough to forget. Not that she minded terribly. His sudden inability to remember his responsibilities had only furthered her plans. Still, it would seem a bit suspicious to the rather bright child if she weren't angry over his tardiness. So Kaoru very calmly pulled a shinai from the wall and made her way back to Yahiko. Making as it to hand it to the boy, she smacked him over the head with it instead just when his over-reaching put him off-balance. This landed him face first on the floor, muttering and cursing.

He was up in seconds flat though, and pacing before her like an enraged animal. Why he was pacing, she didn't know. Maybe it was his way of keeping his mind off the pain surely spreading throughout his head. _Not that it matters_, she mentally shrugged, _but perhaps something useful to know for later. _She paid his mindless ranting no mind and informed him that his presence was overdue at the Akabeko.

Three things then happened simultaneously…

Yahiko's face dropped and he sprinted out the door faster than even Seta Soujiro could blink.

Kyouki's body finally peeled away from the wall and landed on the floor with a quiet plop. Her body had become a jelly like puddle that quickly began to slide it's way to the relative safety of the house.

Kaoru reached forward and snatched up the pile of gambled money, assuring herself that it was morally right to exact payment from the two for misbehaving. Kyouki was a guest and should have acted accordingly. The boy just knew better. She pocketed the coins and took off, following the trail of dust kicked up by the speeding Yahiko. She wondered what his reaction would be to not only finding Kenshin working in his place, but doing so dressed in a kimono… Rather than ponder the image, Kaoru quickened her steps. If she made it there in time, she wouldn't have to wonder about what would happen. She felt downright giddy. _Today is a great day…_

******************************************************

Meanwhile, Saito leaned back in his booth, the ever-present smirk on his face as he contemplated his rival's new fashion sense. He could certainly use this little change to his advantage in the two's ongoing war. No actual battles were fought between the two now, though Saito sorely wished there could come an ending the nagging question of who would win. No, instead of swords, he and the Battousai were reduced to word play and mind games. Well, technically he was the only one that employed that particular tactic. The peaceful rurouni felt himself too honorable to win by such means.

Perhaps honorable wasn't the right word, though. Honesty certainly wasn't it, as the rurouni spit out little white lies daily to make his companions more comfortable with the realities of life. The fact that the pitiful fools believed only proved their inability to handle the harsh truths of existence. Integrity. That seemed a more fitting word for the rurouni's attitude. It was due to his integrity that the former Battousai would not consciously try to harm Saito in any way. And it was that very integrity that now kept Kenshin from being skewered by Saito's blade. _Aku. Soku. Zan. _The words he learned as a part of the Shinsengumi, and the words he continued to live by, disallowed him the right to kill the Battousai outright, for the man no longer fell within that range. Although Kenshin was still a strong swordsman, he no longer used his skills for the purposes of 'evil'. Therefore, Saito could do the man no harm without good reason and Kenshin was sure to refuse him the pleasure.

At least one good thing came of his visit to Tokyo. Seeing the other degraded and embarrassed by wearing that kimono was _almost_ compensation enough…

******************************************************

Yesterday just hadn't been Michika's day.

She'd gotten lost in a forest for hours, leered at by an old man, somehow managed to walk right passed Tokyo, and still had yet to come upon that which she now sought. With the mountains at her back the night before, Michika had asked how things could possibly be worse. That was before she realized that she'd be traveling all night and would still be using the directions Sano had given her.

Michika stumbled along the road, cursing the fates and life in general. Then she did a one-eighty and asked the same cursed fate for luck in finding the Kamiya dojo. She'd been walking since the morning before and she was not happy. No food, no rest, and no cute guys to ogle. Surely this was a crime that would not go unpunished. On the bright side, she was in Tokyo now and very near the Kamiya dojo _if_ Sano's directions were correct. Somehow, she doubted their reliability considering who had given them; nevertheless they were the only directions of any sort that she had.

A rather large black dog growled threateningly at her as she staggered passed an alleyway. She paused in her trek, intent upon silencing the mongrel. She removed her sandal and reached back, preparing to throw it at the offending mutt's head… but pulled up short. She blinked and a rather feral smile creased her features. She hid the shoe behind her back and crouched down, beckoning the stray to come closer in a voice so sweet, it'd make honey jealous. "Here, doggie, doggie, doggie… Come here, I won't hurt you." She started reaching towards the animal, but it whimpered and scampered off, leaving behind a disappointed Michika. "Aww…"

"A righteous heart would not need to eat passing animals, for goodness would see to it that it's disciple was fed."

Michika frowned. _No, not him again…_ She slowly turned to inspect the speaker, though she was already sure of their identity. She was greeted with the sight of a tall man of athletic build with jade green eyes and dark brown hair that fell to his shoulders. _Ugh, it is._ She groaned and rolled her eyes. "And just when was the last time you ate, Chushin?"

He smirked, amusement twinkling brightly in his green orbs. "Two nights ago, dear Karada. But then I was born of a stronger gene pool than you."

Remembering the shoe she still had handy, she flung it with enough force to throw his head backwards. "We had the same parents, moron."

******************************************************

Kenshin sat the food down as carefully as he could, suppressing the ever-growing urge to simply dump it on Saito's head. Thus far, Saito had only made a single comment on Kenshin's state of dress… but Kenshin knew better. He knew Saito was thinking up all sorts of horrendous things that would only make his day that much worse. At this point, most would be inclined to say 'how could it possibly get worse?' Not only were the words not true, but saying them was also a jinx. There's was _always_ a way things could get worse, and by saying that particular phrase, one only guaranteed their fate was sealed behind the very gates of hell. Besides, Kenshin could see the shadows of intrigue already dancing behind Saito's narrow eyes.

He gave the wolf his best glare, but expectedly to no avail. Kenshin's 'do and die' look only made Saito smirk in response as he reached for his chopsticks. "Is there anything else I can get you?" he asked through gritted teeth. He watched as Saito began picking through the shabu-shabu.

The man stopped, inspecting a piece. "Hmph, and here I was under the impression that you could cook." He eyed Kenshin with a look of near disgust on his face. "This beef must have come from a dyslexic cow, because it's the exact opposite of what I ordered."

Kenshin blinked, somehow confused by the fact that such a comment had come from Saito. He was immediately snapped out of it though when nearly the entire restaurant started 'mooing'… backwards. "Ooooooooom…" Kenshin found that he was suddenly very uncomfortable and it had absolutely nothing to with the drafty kimono. Just as quickly as the crowd had started though, they quieted, so much so that Kenshin could clearly hear sounds of the market crowd outside. Saito's eyes shifted to look just passed Kenshin at someone who'd walked up. The redhead slowly turned to find Yahiko standing just behind him, staring at him. The boy's gaze slowly traveled up until they settled upon the older man's face and he smirked.

"You're so pretty, Kenshin."

Yanking the apron off and shoving it into Yahiko's arms, Kenshin turned his back on both the boy and Saito. "You can deal with him," he informed Yahiko in a slightly quivering tone and sniffed the air. "I have laundry to do." The rurouni then exited the Akabeko as calmly and gracefully as he could, ignoring Saito's 'ahou' insult and the chuckling customers as he passed. He had lasted this long, he would not make a fool of himself now. Besides… bursting into tears and running home to change would only make him seem even girlier.

---------------------------------------------

**Japanese Terms**

Souken no Shibun:  The Four Parts of Creation

Busu:  ugly

Baka:  stupid/idiot

Sakabatou:  reversed blade sword

Tori no Mizutaki:  chicken stew

Shihondai: assistant master

Ahou: Moron

**A/N: ** Ugh, too tired for randomness…

Ugh, well after a grueling fight with the compy, my vocabulary, and the desk, I've managed to finish yet another chapter. I can't remember if Author Lady pre-read these chapters, but I'm going to thank her anyways! Thank you!


	11. Sinking Moods

**Disclaimer****:  ***sings the little disclaimer lullaby*

**Warning****:**  *points around imperiously* I hereby warn you… *sighs* My compy's on the fritz, so no guarantees on the daily updates. *glares at it* It took me all day to get it to open my word program long enough to type this. Grrr… bad compy…

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**Souken no Shibun**

Sinking Moods

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Kyouki couldn't remember ever being this badly injured before. The worst she'd managed to do to herself over the past couple of years was spraining her ankle a few times and cutting herself cooking. Nothing out of the ordinary. But then no one had ever attacked her either. She now had only a 'minor' concussion according to Megumi, but it was apparently bad enough to keep her stuck in the dojo all day. Outside of the games she'd been playing with Yahiko and supervising Kaoru's cooking, there didn't seem to be much she was allowed to do. Oh, sure she could go for a walk. Kenshin had stated however that having his charge walking about by herself wasn't a good idea, not just because she was injured, but also because she might be attacked again. Thus, as Kyouki sat on the porch by herself, she came to a decision.

Being injured sucked. A lot.

She fully intended to comply with her keeper's request to remain here until their return. She didn't have to like it, however. Kaoru had already barred her from doing any chores and Kyouki hadn't thought to bring her paints with her. She hadn't exactly expected to be hindered in her little journey to do the 'warning people' thing. Practicing swordsmanship in the dojo sounded like it would be fun, only there was no one around to show her. Besides, things like that usually took years of training to be able to do anything worth doing. With everyone gone, there was no one to talk to either. She could amuse herself by going through everyone's rooms, she supposed. A person's room tended to say a lot about them.

She blinked, actually thinking about that last bit. If that was true, then what did her room say about her? She had next to nothing in her room. It wasn't because she believed that having nice things in her room was frivolous or because she was cheap. She'd have been more than happy to have her room stuffed full of pretty, expensive things. It was just that nothing ever seemed to catch her interest. Currently her room only consisted of her futon, her easel, a decorative sword on her wall, and a table to set all her things on.

On second thought, maybe going through their rooms was a bad idea. She might learn something better left alone and she was pretty sure they wouldn't be too happy with her for doing it anyways. What if Kaoru was into that 'pain is pleasure' thing, or Yahiko was into dolls, or worse yet that Kenshin was actually a girl?! Wait, no, he couldn't be a girl. She'd seen the expanse of chest exposed when dressed in that fuchsia gi of his. Definitely not a girl. But what if he was a closet yaoi fan?! Wait, no… that would be a good thing. Then he'd have stuff she could borrow and they could talk 'shop'. Knowing her luck though he probably wasn't.

_Damn. Life sucks._

******************************************************

Step. Drag. Step. Drag. Groan. Kick. Step. Drag. Step… and so on.

It was an oft-repeated process over the past hour as Michika dragged the Chushin's sorry carcass down the street. She'd managed to avoid the market crowd by taking back streets, but her muscles were quickly starting to feel the strain of pulling her unconscious brother along behind. Well, ok, he was only unconscious because she was keeping him that way, but who could blame her? The younger sibling always lectured on her truth, justice, and the way of the good. She could generally care less about those things. In her opinion, those things were just figments of some poor man's imagination who had managed to convince others the ideals were real. Truth was rare, justice nearly unheard of, and good was a state of mind. So the little brother's passionate speeches only served to annoy and give headaches.

She did admit that it was reassuring though to know he'd lived a happy enough life to still be able to spout that crap. Unlike her and the other two of their group, the Chushin had been raised by his mother. This wouldn't have happened though if the woman hadn't stolen away with him in the middle of the night, eight years after his birth. Thanks to that, he was spared the pain of spending his teenage years of the tutelage of their father. It was something she would never forget. None of them would.

More groaning was issued from the body she was pulling and another swift kick silenced the sound. _This is depressing…_ That was another reason why she avoided her brother. He always ruined her good mood, annoying her with justice rants and bringing back bad memories. Another kick for good measure. She dragged him across a bridge, fuming and planning torturous revenge upon the man. At least he couldn't fault her for everything she'd done. She could think of at least one thing even he'd be hard-pressed to find the bad in. She was referring to the way she'd handled the 'Rei' situation. If the Chushin could have come up with a better way to handle things, she'd bow down to him right now and revere him as her intellectual superior. She glanced away from the sakura trees overhead, looking down at his bruised form and frowned. Somehow, she didn't think that would be happening any time soon.

Continuing her way along the river that was so plainly drawn on Sano's little charcoal map, she finally spotted what she assumed to be the dojo. She couldn't see much thanks to the high walls and it was strangely quiet. Perhaps she was standing by a less-used part of the school. She shrugged and began circling the property seeking its entrance. Other than Chushin, she still hadn't seen any sign of her nemesis. Maybe nemesis was a bit too strong a word for it, but nevertheless, she hadn't seen any of his agents. This meant it might still be possible to take that trip north if she could convince the little brother to keep his mouth shut.

Turning a corner, she came upon a large set of wooden doors with a plaque on the wall beside them. 'Kamiya'… it said other stuff, but none of that was any concern to her. She was only interested in the name. She yanked her brother up into a chokehold and nearly hugged the life out of him. "I finally made it!!"

He cautiously opened one eye to inspect the object of her concern, but remained ever weary of another kick. It didn't come and he blinked, realizing where they were. He looked up at her as if she were stupid. "You were looking for the Kamiya Dojo this whole time? I could have told you where it was…"

Obviously not the right thing to say, as he was quickly rendered unconscious again. Still holding one arm wrapped around his neck, she stepped up to the gates. Never one to announce her presence through typical means, she pushed the gates open and stepped through, displaying the Chushin before her like a rag doll.

"Mail Order Groom!! You pick 'em, we send 'em!"

******************************************************

Michika blinked.

Then she blinked again.

And again.

This was an action she felt the need to repeat for the next several seconds as her mind tried to catch up with her situation. She stared down at her hand; sure she had just been holding her brother. Then he was gone, like so much smoke… only without the actual smoke. He had never learned that from their father… Just what had their mother been teaching the child after she spirited him away? Michika was determined to find out the next time she caught him, not only because of pure curiosity, but because she might be able to convince him to teach the trick to her.

She spun around in circles, trying to spot his retreating figure. Apparently he'd already made his escape out the dojo gates while her dulled mind processed his actions. Well, with his disappearance, her original plans were moot, but no matter. As long as the Chushin told no one she was here, all would be well. And is if he did open that overly-righteous mouth of his… he was going to find out the truth about how unjust she could be.

"Excuse me…" a quiet voice called from behind her.

Michika whirled back toward the household, eyes widening as she took in the speaker…

******************************************************

MM#2, now known also as the Chushin, sprinted out of the dojo and down the streets like a bat out of hell. He hadn't really kept in contact with the other three over the years he'd been gone, but for good reason. He could tell his sister hadn't changed much where he was concerned though. Back then, she was always holed up in her room by herself. She came out rarely, and usually only for training and to harass the youngest two of their group. He and the Rei were always the targets of her evil little plans…

He could remember the time she'd tricked him into going into their father's newly built maze in the garden. It wouldn't have been so bad if he'd had the same tracking skills that the Karada and the Rei had. However, he did not and spent the better part of that day wandering aimlessly until a servant found him. As for Rei, Michika was always putting things in the other's stuff, trying to get a rise out of the controlled girl. Rei had woken one morning to find her bed full of snakes. Thankfully, none were of the poisonous variety and Rei calmly drag every last one out to the garden, much to the servants' horror. The younger girl had gotten her hair full of spiders one time when she went to take a bath. Another time… well, the list went on and on. Even though the Rei had been deathly afraid of some of the things Michika had used, she never once showed it. Remaining in control of her emotions had also been part of that one's training… And just like everyone else, if she failed to live up to said training, she was severely punished.

This was why his mother had taken him away. He was the youngest and least able to handle the abuse. Afterwards, he'd lived a fairly happy life, if somewhat strict. His mother continued to train him as best she could, knowing that his father would eventually seek him out. The Chushin's training was no longer meant to further his father's plan though. The purpose of his training had changed, so that he was supposed to use it to stop the lunatic. But then the rapidly aging man had mysteriously passed away… leaving all his wealth and power to the Nentou. Now the Nentou used that same power and although his goals were different, his actions would have similar effects as those of the Chushin's father.

Chushin climbed onto a nearby roof to avoid further questioning glances from any passerby as he pondered the turn of events. Yes, the Nentou wanted to take over Japan. Yes, the Nentou wanted to use Japan to invade other countries. Yes, the Nentou wanted to eventually control the world… It was not a question of 'what' the man had planned, but 'why'. Why did the Nentou want to follow through on the dead man's plan to take over Japan? Why did he want to use their country against others for the sake of control? As the Chushin watched the dojo from his perch, he could only come up with one answer as to why the silver-haired man would bother with these things.

It was all just a game to see if he could.

******************************************************

Ok, so he hadn't quite succeeded as well as he would've liked. Kenshin managed to hold back the tears that prickled his eyes, but had been forced to hasten his return home to keep the rebellious tears from falling. He wasn't able to speed up much though. At first, he tried to outright run but nearly tripped over the kimono. He contemplated yanking the bottom hem of the offending piece of clothing up enough to do so, but spotting another gawker, he thought it best not to. So moving somewhere between a walk and a jog, he made his way home and quickly as possible.

It was as he was coming down the street, that he spotted a man leaving the dojo. He seemed in a terrible hurry as well. Kenshin's whiney demeanor changed instantly, the tears disappearing and a serious expression appearing on his features. He moved forward silently, his ki suppressed so as not to give his presence away. The man disappeared between some buildings, never sensing Kenshin.

Kenshin wondered for a split second whether he should go after the man or check out the dojo. He was sure he could catch the man… but Kyouki was still at the dojo and now possibly injured further. She might not be alone either… What if Kaoru was already home? If she was hurt… That pretty much made Kenshin's decision for him. Kaoru's welfare was more important than tracking down a possible attacker. He ran as quickly as the kimono would allow, hoping that everyone within was all right as he reached the gates.

Otherwise, there was going to be hell to pay… de gozaru.

******************************************************

Yahiko continued to wait on tables, including Saito's, although the man was rather quiet after Kenshin's departure. It wasn't that his lack of scathing insults upset Yahiko… it was just strange. The man didn't speak much unless it was important or the situation seemed too moronic for him not too. Still, a boy waiting tables with an apron was something Yahiko was sure Saito would find amusing. But the man just sat there, quietly puffing on his cigarette and looking contemplative.

He remained that way for a good ten minutes after Yahiko came in, hardly touching his food. When he'd empty his glass, he'd sit it at the edge of the table to be re-filled. Any services offered outside of that were simply waved away. Yahiko, like Kenshin, knew that the third captain of the Shinsengumi was not one to spend his time idly. He was always in pursuit of something, whether it be information or a person.

However, unlike Kenshin, Yahiko knew nothing of the Nentou. Neither did Kaoru. They were told nothing of the true reasons behind Kyouki's visit. Not yet, at least. Kenshin had said that he wished to speak with them about something over dinner… He also insisted that both Megumi and their visitor, Kyouki, be there as well.

At first, this had merely piqued Yahiko's interests as the announcement had come during their tormented breakfast. That was before he played those games with Kyouki and before he'd found Saito at the Akabeko. Just because Yahiko tended to make rash decisions, it didn't make him stupid. Quite the opposite, in fact. Yahiko knew more about what was going on around him than most people thought he did. Adults assumed children were stupid. Who was he to prove them wrong? Especially when it worked to his advantage…

Although he didn't yet know the connecting piece between everything, he still knew there was something. It was all too convenient for it not to be. Sano's disappearance, Kyouki's injury, Kenshin's discussion-to-be, and Saito… Perhaps that was what Kenshin had planned to discuss with them. It could be that this was one of the few times that the stubborn rurouni would actually tell them what was going on ahead of time. That would be nice. At least then Yahiko would know exactly why his family was being attacked, rather than being left to his own vague deductions. Not to mention, recently Yahiko had been getting the feeling they were being watched. The others didn't seem to sense it so he stayed quiet, but still, it worried him.

It could be Kenshin wanted to discuss something entirely different with them, though. There was no way to tell and be a hundred percent positive. However, there was one thing Yahiko was sure of now.

That wasn't the first time someone had managed to get Kenshin into a kimono…

******************************************************

Kaoru currently paced back and forth by the river, lost in thought.

Megumi had indeed come up with a plan, one that Kaoru had initially balked at. It wasn't right. It could be dangerous. However, Megumi had assured her that everything would be all right. The doctor had handed her a small white packet, quickly rattling off some short instructions. Kaoru passed along Kenshin's wish to have her over for dinner and the woman accepted, shooing Kaoru out the door so she could tend to her patients.

Kaoru was glad that Megumi had decided to help. The older woman needed something other than work to take her mind off the absent Sano. Maybe she would even stay the night after dinner. Really, Kaoru hoped she would, much as the woman liked to tease her. If something went wrong with the plan, at least Megumi would already be there to take care of it. Kaoru was still debating with herself whether or not she'd actually go through with it.

Oh, she could manage it; of that much she was sure. Megumi had said to either put it in his food or drink. Kenshin would more than likely find someway to keep her from cooking, but she knew he could concede to at least let her make the tea. She'd just have to make sure to pour the package's contents into his cup when he wasn't around. Then she would pour the tea, he would drink the drugged beverage, and… _Oh Kami, please don't let me poison him!_

Kaoru shook her head, clearing away the thought. She _would_ go through with this and **if** she happened to over-dose the poor man… well, she'd deal with that **when** it happened. Besides, she still had Yahiko to worry with. She'd have to figure out some kind of punishment for his being late to work. Although, she would have to go easy on him… She'd been watching what transpired when he entered the Akabeko and she couldn't have asked for a better reaction. She had expected him to fall over laughing but his statement about Kenshin's looks had a better effect. From her vantage point, she couldn't see Saito though. Otherwise, she would have been even more appreciative of how luck was working in her favor.

As soon as Kenshin had left, she'd had quickly made her way to the river to think. Being that she was more used to being in a kimono than Kenshin, it wasn't hard for her to make it there long before the redhead made it to the dojo. It didn't take her long to come to a decision either. She was going through with Megumi's plan. As for Yahiko… Kaoru was sure time would bring about the perfect opportunity to 'remind' him of his tardiness. She climbed the riverbank back up to the road and headed for the dojo, the jingle of Kyouki's money striking a rather pleasant chord. _What's a girl to buy?_

******************************************************

Meanwhile, that poor man out to west still had his head stick in that hole… Turns out the ninja like man was actually Tetsuya, the messenger who had brought news of the Rei's return. He'd been placed in this unit under a rather… strange commander after his meeting with the Nentou. As for his fellow members… they still had yet to return. It was at this moment that Fate decided to let a sudden downpour drench the land he was on.

Normally, this would be seen as a gift from the heavens. After all, water was the bringer of life. It also served to turn the ground around Tetsuya to mud so that he could slide his head out. Unfortunately, unlike Kaoru, luck was not with him. This area was apparently rained upon often which had created a cave system beneath the ground. And on this very day, the ground Tetsuya now rested on decided to give way, dropping him into a cavern, never to be heard from again… at least, not until the others finally decided to show up two days later and amazingly brought rope. Thus, Tetsuya was saved and the men in black went back to jumping and rolling through the area, continuing their search for the Karada.

---------------------------------------------

Japanese Terms 

Souken no Shibun:  The Four Parts of Creation

**A/N: ** *cries* It's so sad… my compy still doesn't want to let me open my word program. For time being, Author Lady's html-ing these things, and I thank her profusely for it.

And no, this wasn't nice and pre-read because stupid compy wouldn't work right… so Author Lady had to be off to bed before I managed to finish. That's ok though. I don't mind… really… it's not like having my mistakes found would be a crippling blow to my perfectionism… honest. *smiles nervously*


	12. Peaceful Violence

**Disclaimer****:  **Do I have to disclaim someone else's disclaimer if I use it? *looks confused*

**Warning****:**  Uhh… my brain was rambling at the end. So I have no clue whether the last couple of paragraphs are any good.

----------------------------------------------

**Souken no Shibun**

Peaceful Violence

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First response:  Widen eyes in surprise.

Second response:  Glare. A lot.

Third response:  Continue second response until violence becomes an option.

Thus, Kyouki was now glaring at Michika who had been spinning around, searching for something. For almost two years she had not seen hide or hair of the accursed woman. Why now, of all times, did fate decide to subject her to the other's impending cruelties? She could remember when she first came to know Michika… the woman of light brown hair and blue eyes had treated her so familiarly. For some reason, this hadn't made Kyouki happy, but she'd accepted it as she had no good reasons to base her dislike on. Michika had hung around long enough to make sure Kyouki could support herself. Kyouki supposed the trickster woman was the closest thing she'd had to having a friend…

Perhaps that was why Kyouki had taken so well to Kaoru. In her scheming, Kaoru had reminded Kyouki of Michika. It didn't matter either way… especially not with the other standing right in front of her. Even if Kyouki had longed for Michika's ranting and pranks during her isolation, seeing the older woman in the flesh was enough to squelch the feeling. Instead, what she now remembered were events such as the time Michika had tried to 'brighten' Kyouki's house using her paints… And the time Michika had decided to 'water' the vegetable garden, virtually drowning the poor plants… It was really quite sad that a full-grown woman like Michika could be such a goof up. It was a wonder the other was able to manage her restaurant in Yokohama so successfully.

Kyouki shook her thoughts away, figuring it was best to deal with the situation as quickly as humanly possible. "Excuse me…" she interrupted the other quietly, trying to hide the annoyance in her tone. Michika abruptly halted her search for… whatever she was searching for and spun around to face her. When the woman registered who the speaker was, Kyouki watched as she too went through a three phase response…

First response:  Widen eyes in surprise.

Second response:  Face lights up with some happy-go-lucky emotion.

Third response: Glare. And allow a smirk to snake its way across her face.

Kyouki frowned. _This won't end well._ It was at that moment though that her keeper decided to make an appearance… Kenshin raced through the gates, only noticing Michika still standing there at the last moment. Under normal circumstances, Kyouki was sure that the man could have avoided the proceeding accident. However, as he tried to brake, he tripped on the edge of the kimono, which only served to propel him forward into Michika who had turned to see to the newcomer. Kyouki could only groan and shake her head as the expected came about.

There was no slow-motion photography involved to make the scene more dramatic (although Kyouki would later ask herself what slow-motion photography was).  They simply fell in the dirt, kicking up a rather large cloud of dust when they hit the ground. Kyouki patiently watched, waiting on things to settle enough for her to survey the damage. As her field of vision cleared, Kyouki was able to see that Kenshin had managed to catch himself just short of actually landing on Michika who lay sprawled beneath him. She watched as Michika's eyes narrowed momentarily… then small, seductive smile touched her lips.

"I know I'm getting all hot and bothered. How about you?" Michika purred, brushing some bangs out the redhead's face.

"Oro?!"

Kyouki slapped her forehead; already sure Kenshin was red as a ripe tomato. This wouldn't do at all. If nothing else, it was her duty to protect any unsuspecting man from the trickster woman. The fact that the unsuspecting fool was Kenshin made it more her responsibility. She crossed her arms and tried to project the most menacing aura she could. Apparently, it was enough for it got both their attentions. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing here, Michika?"

The older woman glared up at her. "I should be asking you that, Kyou-chan."

Kyouki stomped her foot. "I asked you first!"

"So. I'm older."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Michika shrugged. "I don't know, but it should count for something."

Kenshin started the daunting task of trying to crawl away from the woman while her attention was elsewhere. He wasn't very successful though. Michika simply wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. And here Kyouki thought the poor man couldn't get a deeper shade of red than he already was. Apparently she was wrong. Kyouki took a dangerous step forward, already ticking off the things she would do to the other woman in her head. Then someone entered the dojo gates and screamed… not in fear, however. It was an ear-piercing screech of terrible anger, promising nothing but undeniable pain for the one it was directed at. It just wasn't Kenshin's day…

"HENTAI!!"

Kyouki watched in horrible fascination as Kaoru stormed over, wrenched one kimono sleeve up, grabbed the fearful Kenshin by the back of his gi, and sent him flying into a nearby wall. "KENSHIN NO BAKA!!!" His body wasn't even given time to peel away from the wall before it was being assaulted by flying buckets and bokkens. Kyouki blinked and looked around, trying to figure out where the items came from. However, she didn't and checked it off as one of the mysteries of Kamiya Kaoru.

Michika sat up, chuckling at the display. This caught Kyouki's attention, unfortunately for her. Kyouki disappeared for a few moments, only to return with the laundry bucket and dropped it on Michika's head. Dazed, but not unconscious as Kyouki would've liked, Michika fell back onto the ground, temporarily silenced. After kicking some dirt up onto the woman's body, vaguely symbolizing her wish to bury the prankster, Kyouki decided it was best that she go calm Kaoru down before any real damage was done. Maybe she could even convince Kaoru to join her in a united front against Trickster Women Deserving of Torture… _Then it would be a good, good day._

******************************************************

Kyouki and Kenshin sat across from each other at the table, holding cups of piping hot tea.

"Are you alright, Kenshin-san?" She blew the steam away from her and took a sip.

"Sessha is fine, de gozaru." Kenshin sipped at his tea, as well.

"Are you sure?" She closed her eyes, savoring the flavor.

"Aa." He sighed contentedly, for he was quite happy now that he was out that kimono.

"Peaceful, isn't it?" she asked after a few minutes of silence passed between the two.

 "Aa." A wind chime hanging out on the porch tinkled as a cool breeze passed through the dojo.

They both looked out into the yard where Kaoru had taken to chasing Michika back and forth with a shinai. After Kaoru had calmed down, Kyouki had pulled her around a corner and spoken to her in hurried whispers. Kaoru's only response had been a few silent nods every now and then. Upon their return, Kaoru had apologized profusely to Kenshin for assuming the worst. Then the shihondai had taken a shinai from the dojo and stood over the dazed Michika, tapping the training sword against her shoulder. When the older woman had awakened to Kaoru's frightening scowl, the look of utter horror that had passed over her face had been priceless.

Kyouki had helped Kenshin up and the two quietly went into the kitchen where Kenshin made some delicious tea while Kyouki made some sweet mochi. Together they sat down and watched the violence unfold, just waiting to see if Kaoru would finally manage to hit Michi-

WHACK!

She did.

Both Kyouki and Kenshin winced appreciatively at the sound. Michika was only able to stop a moment to hold her head before Kaoru was on her, creating a rather large dust cloud, obscuring the rest of the battle from their sight. Kenshin calmly returned to staring at his tea while a grin spread across Kyouki's face. "Great, isn't it?" she asked rhetorically.

Kenshin took another sip of his tea. "Sessha chooses to reserve his comments. It's not right to take such pleasure in another's pain, de gozaru yo."

Kyouki raised an amused eyebrow as she turned to him. "But you want to say 'yes', don't you?"

"Hai," he answered, smiling sweetly. Kyouki chuckled and stuffed a rice cake in her mouth. Kenshin nibbled on one as well, as he continued to stare down into his tea. "Kyouki-dono?" She looked up, blinking cutely as her cheeks puffed out, full of mochi. It reminded Kenshin a lot of Ayame and Suzume when they got a hold of something sweet. "Sessha was wondering… just what did you say to get Kaoru-dono so riled up, de gozaru ka?"

Kyouki grabbed at a few grains of rice sticking to her face. "Trade secret." Kenshin gave her a confused look, but then decided it didn't really matter in the end as long as justice was served. Outside, the wind chimes continued to chime.

******************************************************

The Chushin passed swiftly through the tall wooden gates of a rather large estate centered quite nicely near the middle of Tokyo. He was immediately surrounded by lush green trees and swaying grass. He followed the small trail paved with rock and outlined by flowers, passing over a quiet brook halfway down the path. After another minute of brisk walking the trees parted, revealing an aging but well-kept house. It was obvious this was old money at work, but none of that interested the Chushin right then. They were all things the Chushin had seen before and had no use for. One did have to admire the hours of work that were obviously put into keeping the place beautiful, though.

He realized the moment he stepped in the gates that something was awry. Nobody had moved to intercept him, none of the customary traps had been sprung, and the house seemed quieter than it should. _Still, no reason to tempt fate,_ he supposed. He silently slipped around to the back, already knowing where the other would most likely be.

The backyard was just as beautiful and well kept as the front, though there were less trees and a rather large pond of koi. Standing at the water's edge was the man of alabaster skin and platinum hair, dropping crumbs of food into the water. The fish fought over the few bits of nourishment, flipping in and out of the water as the Nentou watched passively.

The two of them stood like this for what seemed like an eternity. Chushin knew it was simply an attempt at intimidation; something the Nentou was very good at when he sought to be. Knowing this made the effort pointless, however. Making sure to keep his back to the solid wall of the house, Chushin moved closer. "Masatake…"

The silver haired man turned smoothly, already well aware of the other's presence. "Natsuo, how nice to see you again." His lips curved into a friendly smile, but there was an air of cold formality about him. Those deep mahogany eyes, so often mistaken for red under the cover of darkness, held nothing but utter seriousness and perhaps a hint of disgust in them. "It's been far too long since I last saw you. I take it you are well?"

A quick scan of the yard told the Chushin they were the only ones out here. So, the other had been expecting him to come, and in peace, no less. Although the strong urge to prove the Nentou wrong settled in his muscles, he withheld himself. Until Masatake made an actual threat to his person, Chushin would be as respectful as possible to the man while on his property. "As well as can be expected, considering the circumstances. I would be better if not for the assassins sent weekly to murder me."

The Nentou chuckled lightly. "It's not as if you couldn't handle them."

"And if I wasn't able to? What then?"

The smaller man gave him a carefree smile. "Then I suppose you would be dead."

******************************************************

The Nentou watched out of the corner of his eye as the other frowned playfully.

"You wound my poor heart with your hurtful words!" the Chushin exclaimed melodramatically, holding a hand over his 'injured' heart. "How could you be so cruel? And to your own family, no less."

Nentou's face twisted into a fearsome scowl. "You are of no relation to me, you impertinent mongrel."

The Chushin waved a hand nonchalantly. "A mere technicality, dear brother. One that doesn't really matter in the end."

The Nentou glared at the youngest member of their rather dysfunctional little 'family'. "Are you just here to bother me, Natsuo? Or do you actually have something of importance to say for once?" Incessant justice speeches aside, the youngest member of their group still somehow managed to be annoying as hell. He was eternally chipper, almost always reacted to things melodramatically, and he loved to make pointless small talk. While the last was something easily tolerated under 'normal' circumstances, it was infuriating when there were important matters to be discussed. Since he and the Chushin outright hated each other, it meant the younger was only here on business.

The Chushin shrugged. "Nothing much, my light-colored counterpart. I just wanted to discuss a few things about the Karada and the Rei." Nentou tensed slightly, but otherwise gave no reaction. "I want to make a deal concerning the two, if you're willing, Masatake." The other's head snapped around, a curious eyebrow rising as he studied the Chushin. The other seemed a bit uncomfortable, but determined as well.

"How curious. Why would a righteous do-gooder such as _you_ be interested in cutting a deal with someone so _corrupt_ as myself? Hmm?"

The Chushin's eyes narrowed at the obvious contempt in the smaller man's voice. He leaned against the wall behind and took a deep breath, calming himself before replying. "Simple. For the greater good, brother."

******************************************************

The lunchtime crowd had made its appearance, keeping Yahiko effectively on his toes. When he wasn't taking an order, he was handing one out, or cleaning a spill. Tsubame had returned from her trip to the market and while the extra help lightened Yahiko's load, today was still by no means going to be easy. The poor cook was about to throw a conniption fit due to the number of times people kept changing their orders after he'd already started cooking. Tae had long since given up her post at the door to help in the kitchen so the over-worked cook wouldn't quit on her.

Grabbing the latest order from the two, Yahiko quickly balanced all the items on his serving tray and headed out into the dining area. Making his rounds and depositing food on their designated tables, he finally came to an empty table. Yahiko blinked a moment, before he realized there was money on the table and just who had been sitting there. Apparently, Saito hadn't appreciated the noisy lunch crowd…

******************************************************

"Che…" Another man went careening across the room, impacting solidly against a sidewall. A few of the men backed away, watching as the newcomer cracked his knuckles in preparation for another round of battering. "Well?" A few growled at him, but none stepped forward to challenge him, though they didn't move out of his way either. "Are you going to show me in or must I wait for a formal invitation?"

A quick murmur ran through the defending group. One of the front most men nodded and the entire group charged, various weapons at ready. All the newcomer could do was roll his eyes in annoyance. A few well-placed attacks and the group was left moaning on the floor as he passed over them, entering the building they had so foolishly tried to keep him from. What made it worse was that they had stupidly gathered the vast majority of their members at the entrance to intercept him, rather than placing them strategically throughout the building so that they could ambush. Not that they would have succeeded, but at least it would have shown they had _some_ brains. _Amateurs_, he thought disappointedly.

Oh well. It just meant things would go smoothly and he could return sooner. _How boring_. There were few distractions along the way as he moved through the smalltime yakuza's headquarters. Normally, he wouldn't waste his time on such morons, but rumor had it they had managed to get themselves involved with a larger underground group. And it was information on this larger group that he now sought. Supposedly, the larger group was in the middle of a huge turf war with another underground faction. It was this very turf war that had pretty much everyone else scared shitless. Underground business had nearly come to a screeching halt as the bystanders waited fearfully for the outcome.

Finally, his search yielded results. He found the study that the yakuza boss now resided in. He stood in the door a moment, determining what kind of a threat the man posed. He was kneeling on a large cushion, a raised dais giving him an illusion of superiority that would've worked on lesser men. _Very little_, he finally decided and stepped inside. The other man calmly acknowledged his presence, shifting slightly to a more comfortable position as he motioned for his visitor to sit before him. The offer was refused and the yakuza boss frowned.

"You must be in quite the hurry if you cannot even sit, Zanza."

A smirk curled his lips, as Sano stepped closer. "From the look of those guys outside, I expected you to be some piss-ant moron like them."

The other man sighed mournfully. "Yes, well… Good help is so hard to find within this peaceful era. Especially for someone of unknown reputation like myself." He eyed Sano critically for a moment. "You wouldn't happen to be interested, would you?"

Sano made a noise somewhere between a laugh and a snort. "Afraid not. I'm only here for some information."

The yakuza boss nodded. "I see. That's too bad." Silence hung in the air as the man seemed to be thinking about something, but he finally smiled at Sano. "Well, you may call me Tanaka. Now what would you like to know?"

"The Sangokudoumei. I need to know about their involvement with the Shibun."

Tanaka's eyes widened. "I-I see. Well… I did not think anyone knew of our association with them." He frowned. "I'm almost grateful for your request, though, for it has brought to my attention the presence of a rat. However…" Tanaka shook his head. "Not quite grateful enough to give you the information you seek, my friend." He smiled apologetically at Sano.

Sano crossed his arms and glared down at the man. "I see. Are you sure?"

Tanaka nodded. "Quite. That is…" Tanaka held a hand out towards Sano, as if waiting for the fighter to hand him something. "…Unless you can offer me something just as valuable as the information you seek. Perhaps then I might be persuaded."

A grin slowly crept across Sano's face as an answer came to him. "Of course."

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**Japanese Terms**

Souken no Shibun:  The Four Parts of Creation

Hentai:  pervert

Baka: idiot/stupid

Sangokudoumei: Triple Alliance

**A/N:**  Lookie, another chappie! Ok, so that's nothing new… I don't care. *does a little dance*

And so I say thanks, because this chapter WAS looked over by the beta! *cheers* Yay!! Thankies, Author Lady!! *sweatdrops* And sorry about turning your review page into a message board today… hehe…


	13. Food Fights and Chores

**Disclaimer****:  ***sitting at a table across from a lawyer* Lawyer: Do you or do you not own Rurouni Kenshin?      Jade: No comment.       Lawyer: Do you or do you not claim to own Rurouni Kenshin?       Jade: *glares* No comment.

**Warning****:**  *cackles… just cackles*

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**Souken no Shibun**

Food Fights and Chores

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After Kaoru had finally tired of beating Michika, the two had joined Kenshin and Kyouki. Kenshin seemed to produce a never-ending supply of tea, however the plateful of Kyouki's mochi was rapidly disappearing. As it came down to the last one, the table became a battle royal. Kaoru was hard-pressed to remember that these were strangers she was dealing with, not Sano and Yahiko. The insults were different, but just as scathing and the actual battle for the food… As Kaoru was a participant, her only comment was that the competition was fierce. It was rather obvious that Kenshin was becoming highly disturbed, though.

In the final stretch of their little war, the three women were deadlocked, in a sense at least. Nobody was able to get at the last scrap of food. Kyouki had slammed Michika's head into the table, temporarily putting her out of action while at the same time fending off Kaoru's attempts to snatch the mochi with a pair of chopsticks. Kaoru still wasn't sure where the girl had gotten the chopsticks from, seeing as there hadn't been a single pair in the dining room. Rather than spend time thinking on it, she continued her ongoing battle for the sweet rice cake.

As groaning from the floor signaled Michika's return to reality, the other two realized they didn't have much time left. Kyouki had managed to trap at least on of Kaoru's hands within the tight grip of her chopsticks. Kaoru immediately used her other to magically produce a bokken and tried to bring it down on Kyouki's head. Kyouki grabbed it just before impact and the two became locked in a test of strength, glaring and growling at each other. A still slightly dazed Michika sat up, surveyed the room and promptly asked, "What happened to the mochi?"

The two younger women both glared at the third until what Michika said finally registered. Then they blinked. And blinked again. Both Kaoru and Kyouki slowly dragged their eyes down to the plate between them. They stared stupidly at the empty plate for a moment before lowering their respective weapons. "Where…?" Kyouki finally managed to utter.

Kaoru shook her head. "I don't kn-"

The sound of smacking caught their attention and all three women snapped their heads in its direction. Their eyes fell upon a certain redhead with certain telltale grains of rice on his face and sucking the last traces from his fingers. Finally noticing the silence, he looked up and smiled innocently at the three. "Your mochi was delicious, Kyouki-dono." Silence reigned again as the three's actions were decided upon. Michika became immediately mesmerized by the rurouni's attempts to get the last bit of sweetness off his fingers. Kaoru made as if to bash him over the head with her still handy bokken, but the movement was halted when Kyouki grabbed her wrist.

"Don't bother, Kaoru-san. Hurting him won't bring it back…"she explained sadly. They hung their heads in reverent silence, mourning the loss of the sweet tasting rice cake. Kenshin went back to sipping his tea, seemingly oblivious to their plight. With his return to the tea, Michika snapped out of her trance and looked around in confusion.

"Wait…" Kaoru said, breaking the silence. She looked up at Kyouki, her brow furrowed. "Kyouki-san, couldn't you just make more?"

Kyouki blinked. "I hadn't thought of that."

Michika glared at Kyouki. "Stupid Kyou-chan…" She suddenly stood and struck a goofy pose. "To the kitchen!"

"To the kitchen," the other two echoed and together the three women scampered off.

Left sitting alone in the dining room, Kenshin could only sweatdrop.

******************************************************

"A battle? And just how do you propose to initiate that?"

Chushin shrugged. "Surely, it can't be that hard."

The Nentou chuckled. "Ah, famous last words, Natsuo. You forget, I know more about the situation than you. Your chances of succeeding in this are slim indeed." He knelt down next to the koi pond and trailed his fingers across the surface, leaving small ripples in their wake. "And before you even say it, yes… even with such slim chances, I fear the possibility that you might accomplish this." He raised his mahogany gaze to the other's green one. "I worry that the outcome of this _possible_ battle might keep the Rei from returning to me… _if_ I were to agree to this little plan of yours."

The Chushin shrugged carelessly. "Not having the Rei will not stop you, Masatake. And surely, without mine and the Karada's involvement, things would go much faster for you."

The Nentou paused, reveling in the feel of the cool liquid beneath his fingertips. "Perhaps…" He smiled to himself. "And as you said, if Rei wants to come back, you won't stop her…" He lifted his hand out of the water and watched the remaining liquid pool at his fingertips, dropping like tears back into the pond. "I do have one question, though."

"Oh? And what might that be?"

The silver-haired man stood and closed the distance between him and his 'brother' as he spoke. "You said that this was for the greater good, did you not?" The Chushin nodded mutely as the other stopped a mere breath away. "But for whose greater good, Natsuo?" The other only glared silently in response, causing the Nentou to smirk knowingly. "I see. It's just as I thought." He patted the taller man's shoulder as he brushed passed him. "Do not fret though. I will agree to your plan, Natsuo, if only to answer the nagging question of who would be victor in such a battle."

The Nentou paused before a door leading into the darkness of the main house. He looked back to find that the Chushin had not moved from the wall yet. He shook his head, knowing the other would stay there pouting all day if he were allowed. "If I were you Natsuo," he started, watching the other tense, "I would be on my way. My subordinates will return shortly and they _are_ still under orders to kill you on sight." With that said, the Nentou entered the house, already formulating ideas on how to sway the situation in his favor.

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Mochi was made and mochi was eaten.

Unfortunately, another battle occurred within the kitchen walls, leaving it a disaster zone. After a few minutes of discussion, the four went separate ways, intent on doing some chores.

In the kitchen…

Being that the visitors had caused two thirds of the mess, Kyouki had offered to clean the kitchen. Kaoru had made her promise not to strain herself too much. Again, Kyouki was inclined to think being injured sucked. She wondered though if Kaoru treated all her newcomers with such welcoming warmth. Well, except for Michika, but that was another matter entirely.

She'd only been here half a day at best, but they seemed to treat her like family. It was a comforting feeling that allowed her to forget her prior loneliness, if only momentarily. She'd certainly carry this feeling back to her solitary life, content that she knew it even if she did not have it. This reminded her that she'd have to leave soon, unfortunately. She'd already done her duty in warning Kenshin, but now there were others who needed to know of the dangers threatening them. She'd wait until tomorrow to announce her departure, though. Besides, she still had yet to ask Kenshin if he knew of the other people on her list. She could do that after dinner, however.

Until then, she was quite content to spend the rest of her day languishing in the sense of security that pervaded the dojo's atmosphere. The sense of serenity given off by the place when everyone was busy was quite intoxicating. She could see how the three residents would be so happy here together. It did make her somewhat curious, thinking about the three. How had they come to be here? She knew that Kaoru owned the dojo, but how had a swordsman and a loud-mouthed brat come to live with her? Yahiko could easily be explained off as a relative of some sort. Kenshin was another matter entirely. His violet eyes and red hair would normally mark him as a foreigner… except that he wasn't. So how had a Japanese man come by such coloring and what events placed him on Kaoru's doorstep?

Kyouki paused in her cleaning, her head suddenly aching with the effort of trying to figure the mysteries out. The pain passed quickly though and Kyouki finished with her cleaning. She had gotten Kaoru to promise to show her some moves of the Kamiya Kasshin after everyone was done. She'd always kept those decorative blades in her room, but she'd never really taken an interest in swordsmanship of any sort until she'd watched Yahiko earlier. Even though he'd only been doing katas, her interest had been piqued and she was curious to see what the followers of the Kamiya style could do…

In the dining room…

Michika was wiping the table down, blissfully unaware of anything but the rag she was holding as it moved back and forth across the tabletop. At least, that was the image she was hoping to outwardly display. Inside, she was panicking. And it wasn't the unimportant 'Oh, my shoes have run away again' panic. No, this was full-blown 'Bloody hell, the world's coming to an end and I don't have shoes on to run from it' panic. Similar, one supposed, but still different. After all, one did involve something outside of her ability to cope with. Scratch that, both did. But at the latter was a little more important than the former. Having her shoes go missing was one thing, not being able to outrun her oncoming death because of blisters was entirely another.

Her mind had been this way since she walked into the dojo and found Kyouki there.

Souken no Shibun. The Four Parts of Creation. Nentou, Karada, Rei, and Chushin. Mind, Body, Spirit, and Heart. It was both a philosophy and a disaster waiting to happen if the philosophy was acted upon. That was something the Nentou fully intended to do, although for reasons that were unknown to her.

After everything the four had gone through, she thought that given the chance, they would lead peaceful, unassuming existences. Much had she hated to admit it, even if only mentally, she had been wrong. Masatake had seen to that. He had taken up where their mutual father had left off and accelerated the Rei's training. The couple of times Michika had tried to play a prank on the girl, she'd quickly found a sword at her throat. It hadn't been the reaction she'd been hoping for and it upset her. Not just because she couldn't play jokes on the Rei anymore, but also because the girl was changing.

Although the four had various training, their main strengths lay within their names. Nentou was the strategist and Karada was the soldier. Rei and Chushin had dual purposes, though. They were the figureheads of the group to begin with. The Rei would use her skills to 'persuade' the masses. The Chushin was to protect both the people and the group.

The Nentou had 'altered' the original philosophy to suit his purposes, however. According to his design, only he and the Rei were necessary. The Karada and the Chushin were just useful accessories. Unfortunately for Masatake, the influence of the Karada and the Chushin's mother was still with them, though more strongly with her brother. Both believed in doing the right thing, although they disagreed on the correct method. Neither would allow him to follow through with his plans.

Upon his return, her brother had begun to travel around, tearing apart Masatake's well-placed plans in areas that were just out the Nentou's immediate reach. She, on the other hand, took away that which was most important to the Nentou at that time… One night after the Rei had been brought home severely injured, Michika had taken her. Drugging the Rei and draping the girl over her shoulder, they had disappeared into the night. However, it was not so simple as she thought it would be. Through her training, the Nentou had completely brainwashed the Rei. Although she could care less for his cause and ideals, Rei was now utterly loyal to Masatake. In fact, she'd been forced to hogtie and gag the girl to keep her from running back.

In the end, Michika had been forced to take 'precautions' in the hopes that Masatake would never again possess the Rei. At the time, she thought her actions to be in excess, but now… Now she silently prayed to whatever gods there were that the floodgates remained closed, for both her sake and Kyouki's. Otherwise, Kyouki was going to kill her.

Literally.

In the yard…

Kenshin was happily scrubbing at a stain, a blissful smile on his face. Much like Michika though, it was only a façade. Unlike Michika, his thoughts were not in panic however. The current situation seemed pretty simply and straightforward. Bad guy trying to take over Japan, people start alerting others, Saito hunts bad guy, bad guy hunts Battousai. Too bad he was Battousai. Otherwise, he'd be a lot happier. He could spend his days carefree, doing his beloved laundry and raising kids like any good… housewife… But he was ok with being a housewife, especially if it meant psychotic killers weren't stalking him.

Even if the situation seemed that way, Kenshin knew it was probably a lot more complicated than that. Kyouki had already hinted that there was more to her story, but he hadn't taken to the time yet to drag the information out of her. After her came the arrival of Michika. She was apparently here for a reason as well and had ties to Kyouki. Then there was that man who had bolted from the dojo earlier but neither woman had been harmed. Saito being around meant that the problem was already large or was going to be very soon.

He sensed a restless feeling in Kyouki, meaning she'd probably be leaving soon… if Kaoru would let her. He'd just have to make sure to put her on the spot at dinner when he discussed what he knew with the others. Then she'd be forced to answer or suffer a beating from Kaoru. Michika as well he supposed. She might have useful information as well. But that would all be left until dinner…

In the meantime, he'd continue to happily scrub away at that nice grass stain he'd managed to get on Kaoru's kimono earlier. He'd already worn a hole in one… Kami forbid, she should find out he stained this one. Even as plentiful as Kaoru's kimonos seem to be, there wouldn't be many left if he kept this pace up. Kaoru would kill him…

In the dojo…

Kaoru was dusting the name plaques that hung on the wall, proclaiming the names of the only two people who trained here. Assistant Master - Kamiya Kaoru and student - Myoujin Yahiko. Every time things would calm down just enough for her to have hope of returning students, something else would happen to scare them away. She missed the feel and sound of a class full of students waiting on her to teach them. Yahiko simply expected her complete attention, as if it were the only thing she lived for now. He was disrespectful, loud, and stubborn. Yet, he was by far the best student she'd had and the closest thing she had to a little brother.

Finished, Kaoru looked around the spotless dojo and sighed. Sooner or later, she'd be teaching full classrooms again. She was absolutely sure of it. She just wished it were sooner rather than later. Spending all her time on Yahiko was good and well, but it was somewhat monotonous. Everyday she was correcting the same person with the usual mistakes. Yahiko almost always started off their training sessions with flaws in his grip and stance. The few times he'd gotten it right on the first try, she'd had praised him. However, there was the briefest flash of guilt and something else she couldn't define, but it was always gone as quickly as it had appeared. Then he'd come in the next day, still displaying the usual mistakes.

She shook her head, dispelling the thoughts. Now that she was done with the dojo, she had other things to do. Considering how long she'd spent cleaning and daydreaming in here, the others were probably already done. Well, with the exception of Kenshin, of course. He had gone off to do his customary laundry. He always took an insane amount time doing the chore, wearing a carefree smile the whole while. It thoroughly confused her. Kaoru could understand that doing the laundry gave one time to think when certain thoughts arose that needed to be thought upon. However, Kenshin was like that every day of every week. He just sat out there, happily scrubbing their clothes. It made her wonder just what Hiko had done to Kenshin in his young life to screw him up so badly…

Oh well. Even if it confused the hell out of her, she couldn't really complain. It meant one less thing she had to do herself. Now, she needed to see if Kyouki was done. Kaoru had promised her a bit of an exhibition match to show her a couple of things about Kamiya Kasshin. Maybe she could even persuade Kyouki to take up learning it. Considering the amount of money she'd found in Kyouki's little pouch, she knew the other could afford the lessons. And every girl needed to know how to defend herself, right? Of course, they did.

She nearly giggled with delight as she closed her eyes, imagining. Maybe she could use that as a slogan to bring in some female students. Even married women might take up training here, looking for another way to keep their men in line. She could see the cash cow mooing even now. From all the money brought in, she could finally fix that leak in the roof at the end of the hall and possibly convince the two male residents to go shopping for some clothes. Not to mention, with female students, she'd have someone to talk to like she had with Kyouki earlier. She couldn't talk like that with Megumi because the kitsune was usually too busy teasing her. Tae was usually too busy to sit down for a long talk. And she certainly wasn't going to talk about the men in her life with those same men. She wasn't starting a female independence movement, really she wasn't. She was just looking for a little company is all. Honest.

With these thoughts and more roiling around in her mind, she turned to leave just as the shoji flew open. Squinting her eyes against the sudden brightness of the sun, she could make out image of a slight figure in a gi and hakama. At first, she thought it was Kenshin. Their hair was tied up in a high ponytail, something Kenshin rarely, if ever, did and a sense of emptiness hung about the figure. The person's head turned until their attention slowly settled on her and their aura was suddenly filled with warmth and recognition. "Kenshin…?"

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**Japanese Terms**

Souken no Shibun:  The Four Parts of Creation

**A/N:**  *sniffles* Last I checked, I'd only gotten three reviews on my 'monster' chapter... *tears up* I worked so hard on it and it was so funny. Mou...

Yes, Author Lady did beta this! Praise be to she!


	14. Kyouki and Kaoru: The Exhibition Match

**Disclaimer****:  **Let's just assume you know it so I can go back to my bad singing.

**Warning****:**  *blinks* More plot movement… Maybe?

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**Souken no Shibun**

Kyouki VS Kaoru: The Exhibition Match

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The Sangokudoumei.

An alliance of three underground groups all for the purpose of destroying the Souken no Shibun.

Sano stepped out of the yakuza building, shielding his eyes from the sun and looked around. He was satisfied with the information he'd gotten. In fact, he'd gotten more than he'd expected. The Sangokudoumei was a fairly recent creation, however the three groups that made it up were long-lived. He'd even gotten the names of those said groups. The Sangokudoumei was created for the sole purpose of stopping the Shibun's growth. This could be seen as a positive thing for the good guys.

Sagara Sanosuke was no fool, though. He knew better than to simply assume. The Sangokudoumei was set up to counter the Shibun. That was all good and well. However, who would contest their claim to power once the Shibun was gone? If the three groups could manage to cooperate long enough to take out the Shibun, why not longer? Such a force would be unstoppable in the underground, which wouldn't bode well for the current government and its law-abiding citizens. Although, he could care less about the government itself, the people who lived under it were worth protecting.

Spotting his contact in an alley across the street, he trotted over and passed along what he'd learned. He still had a couple of places he wanted to hit before returning home, but he knew Saito might need this information now. As much as he hated the asshole cop, Saito Hajime was the only person standing between his family and the coming disaster at that moment. He knew the bastard would do everything short of willingly giving up his life to carry out his given task.

And maybe after all this, that man would give him at least a little of the respect he deserved. _I doubt it though…_

******************************************************

"Kenshin…?"

Kaoru blinked few times. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness revealing a form that was not Kenshin, but rather Kyouki. She knew the man was effeminate, but to actually mistake a female for him just seemed wrong of her. Before she could berate herself however, a low chuckle caught her attention. She focused on Kyouki who was silently shaking her head in answer to the question and smiling. The girl looked up at Kaoru, her smile not quite reaching her gray eyes. No, Kyouki's eyes reflected something else other than the warmth her smile radiated. However, Kaoru found she was unable to decipher anything other than a shadow of wariness. "That's the second time this has happened…" the visiting girl said, explaining the reasoning behind her chuckle.

Kaoru frowned. "Who?"

Kyouki gestured off in some random direction. "Oh, it was just the kitsune. The first time we met, it was kind of dark and she thought I was her precious 'Ken-san'." Kyouki snorted and Kaoru couldn't help but smile again. Kyouki stepped inside, relinquishing her sandals, and gave the place another once over. She looked down at the floor and chuckled. "I can almost see my face in the floor."

Kaoru chose to ignore the comment and grabbed a couple of shinai. "Ready to start?" she asked, throwing one to Kyouki. The girl caught it effortlessly and sat, waiting on Kaoru to begin. Kaoru looked down on her, settling comfortably into her teaching mode and began lecturing her on Kamiya Kasshin's creation and intended use. The explanation was short, however, considering this wasn't an actual lesson. Yet.

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"Dammit…"

Light blue eyes narrowed, watching the two women in the dojo. Michika had finished her chosen chores in time to see the alternately dressed Kyouki heading for the dojo. A black gi and a coal gray hakama… She'd only seen her dress in that particular ensemble back when she was still working for the Nentou. In fact, it wasn't even a newly bought gi and hakama. They were the _same_ ones she wore back then. She was even able to pick out the holes and tears that Kyouki had obviously patched. Michika could have sworn she'd hidden those things off in the woods.

That was disturbing enough, but to see her dressed like that while heading towards a dojo implied things. Things that Michika wasn't prepared to deal with yet. Michika knew Kyouki had asked for a demonstration from Kaoru earlier. However, she thought it was simply interest in Kaoru that drove her to ask for it, not curiosity about swordsmanship. Kyouki being dressed like she was, though, meant that she had asked for the latter reason or possibly both. Either way, it didn't matter.

She had followed Kyouki across the yard, watching as the younger woman slipped inside the dojo. Creeping off to a side door where she wouldn't be noticed so easily, she quietly watched the interactions between Kaoru and Kyouki. _As long as she doesn't pick up a weapon, everything will be fine._ Then Kaoru tossed Kyouki a shinai. Michika took to slapping a hand against her forehead. "Stupid, stupid, stupid…" She dropped her hand and glared at Kyouki's now sitting figure. "Stupid Kyou-chan. She shouldn't be allowed to handle a weapon. Otherwise, she might-"

"She might what?"

Michika blinked and slowly turned to face Kenshin who had somehow appeared beside her without her noticing. She stared at him for a moment, trying to figure out just how he'd done that. Granted, her senses weren't as finely honed as Kyouki's had been, but a person still had to be pretty damned good to sneak up on her. As she continued to stare stupidly at him, something started nagging at the back of her mind. There was something she was supposed to know about this slight man of red hair and violet eyes. And it was something important. However, before she could focus on the annoying thing, he spoke again, breaking her train of thought.

"What would happen should Kyou-dono be allowed to handle a weapon, de gozaru ka?"

 Although his words were polite, his tone was edged with steel. Her mind pulled up three choices: 1) Tell him the truth now, 2) Promise to tell him the truth later, 3) Or lie her ass off. A split second passed and her decision was made. She was going to lie her ass off. Unfortunately, Michika forgot one little detail. She couldn't lie well if her life depended on it. "She might hurt herself."

Kenshin peered inside where Kyouki was already correctly assuming a defensive stance as Kaoru had just shown her. He looked back at Michika, who was giving him a sheepish look. "Try again."

"She might hurt Kaoru-san."

Kenshin narrowed his eyes. "Doubtful. Kaoru-dono is very well-trained in her style, de gozaru."

"She might break something."

He arched an eyebrow. "The dojo is mostly empty. What could she break?"

Michika looked thoughtful. "The shinai?"

Kenshin frowned and Michika laughed uncomfortably. She stopped, becoming very afraid when he suddenly started smiling sweetly at her. "Sessha thinks you have some explaining to do," the redhead said, his voice nearly singsong in tone as he walked off. Michika silently glared at his backside. If Kyouki hadn't been here, she'd have already given Sano's friends his warning and been on her way. But no, now she had to explain things to people. _Dammit…_

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Swing down, step forward, swing horizontally, parry.

Spin, blocked, hop back, jerk to the side.

It came so naturally now; Kyouki was almost unconscious of her movements. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized that something was different.

Kaoru had offered her a small practice round. She even said Kyouki could have the first hit. Though she held the shinai correctly, her movements were slow and clumsy, as one would expect of a beginner. Kaoru easily avoided her strikes but made sure to smile encouragingly at Kyouki for trying. She pointed out the mistakes made and how such mistakes would immediately doom her to loss in any battle she entered. Kyouki had listened silently, taking note of everything Kaoru said.

Kaoru placed herself opposite of Kyouki, beckoning for her to try again. Making sure to keep in mind everything the other had said, she swung again. This time Kaoru was actually forced to block, but it was obvious she wasn't really straining herself. After a few more pauses, Kyouki could tell Kaoru was becoming slightly frustrated. She insisted that Kyouki was supposed to hold the wooden sword directly before her. She would at first, but during her attempted attacks, she would slip and hold the shinai at a diagonal angle, from hip to shoulder. Kaoru would immediately stop her to correct her form, however, it didn't seem to help much.

With Kaoru on the edge of exploding, Kyouki offered up the suggestion that Kaoru simply fight her. Pain was supposedly a good teacher, after all. Surely if Kaoru smacked her around enough, she'd hold the damn shinai correctly. Kaoru seemed quite pleased with the idea, although a little _too_ pleased in Kyouki's opinion.

As soon as the two were ready, Kyouki initiated the battle with another clumsy swing. Kaoru simply stepped aside, allowing Kyouki's momentum to carry her forward, and swung her own weapon. As Kyouki stumbled forward, time seemed to slow suddenly. She could hear the whistle of Kaoru's shinai as it was came towards her unshielded backside. She could see Michika's eyes slowly widening from across the dojo. The trickster woman looked worried, but for the life of her, Kyouki couldn't figure out why. Kyouki also became aware of another presence, just out of her sight, but watching as Michika was. There was only a sense of stillness from this person, though. Silent, yet it was unlike the emptiness that she knew herself to possess. Behind her, she could feel Kaoru's annoyance, but also her warmth. She closed her eyes, mentally sorting through the new sensations.

Another second ticked by as Kaoru's shinai inched closer and something changed. In that instant, her entire perspective shifted. No longer was this little match with Kaoru something to learn from. It was something to be won, something she was _going_ to win. She would not be bested, not in _this_. Kyouki frowned; having only a moment to ponder just what 'this' meant exactly before her mind went blank, completely emptying of everything except a nagging sensation that there was something wrong.

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"Otherwise, she could…"

The tone Michika had spoken in concerned Kenshin. Her voice had betrayed not only worry, but fear. Now, he regretted interrupting her. If he had simply remained quiet, rather then letting his concern for Kaoru override his judgment, he'd have known just what had Michika so concerned about Kyouki. He had not, however, and had thus been forced to watch the match himself to make sure Kaoru would be safe.

At first everything seemed normal. Kyouki was everything a beginner should be: slow, stupid, clumsy, emotional, and most importantly… slow. He'd found himself smiling at the amusing scene of Kaoru nearing the point of strangling the poor girl. Kaoru was right though. Holding the shinai the way she had was a grievous mistake when using the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. The only time one would hold a weapon across them as she had was if they were using… Kenshin blinked, as the thought sank in and slowly turned his head away from the fight to Michika. The worry on her face was clearly displayed now that she thought no one was looking. _…if they were using a real sword…_ He saw Michika's eyes widen and he snapped his attention back to the fight.

He saw Kaoru bringing her shinai down on Kyouki's backside, while the other girl continued to stumble forward, eyes closed. He narrowed his eyes as he felt the fluctuation in girl's ki. Another second passed with Kaoru's swing almost complete. Much as it had for Kyouki a moment before, time slowed as Kenshin watched her. The girl opened her gray eyes, staring straight at him. There was something off about them, though. Her eyes were empty, lifeless like that of a doll's. As violet eyes stared into flat gray ones, everything snapped back into real time.

Kyouki threw herself to the floor, narrowly avoiding Kaoru's attack, and rolled out of striking distance. She quickly stood and spun around, charging the still recovering Kaoru. Kaoru had only enough to time to bring her arms up to protect herself before Kyouki's shoulder slammed into her, knocking the shihondai to the ground. Kaoru rolled to the side just in time to dodge Kyouki's shinai. Held in an impaling position, the shinai made a loud thunk sound as it hit the hardwood floor quite forcefully. Kaoru snapped her own weapon into the back of Kyouki's knees as she stood, toppling Kyouki. It all happened so fast; Kenshin barely had time to register what was happening as he ran to Kaoru's side.

As Kyouki drew herself up to a standing position again, Michika chose that moment to step inside as well. There was a firm set to her jaw as she stepped between Kyouki and her sparring partner. At first Kyouki made as if to go around her, but halted at the sound of the other's commanding voice. "Stop." Kyouki turned those lifeless gray eyes to Michika and Kenshin could almost see the pain radiating from the older woman. There was definitely going to be some explanations from her after this.

"Drop the shinai." Kyouki immediately released her grip on the wooden sword and it clattered to the ground, rolling out of reach.

Kenshin blinked; surprised that Kyouki heeded the commands so quickly and quietly. _There's _definitely _going to be some explanations…_

"Now, snap out it." A simple phrase that people said almost daily, but apparently it was enough. Kyouki's empty eyes returned to their usual misty gray as she looked around, blinking in confusion. Her gaze traveled over Michika and Kenshin, finally stopping on Kaoru and the wary look the shihondai was giving her. She looked away and wrinkled her nose. "I don't feel good," she murmured, barely loud enough to hear. She frowned, swaying a bit. "I know this is going to be weak and girly of me, but…" She looked up at the other three. "I'm going to pass out now." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, her eyes rolled back and she crumpled to the floor.

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Kenshin stepped into the dining room, sliding the shoji shut behind him, and took his customary seat beside Kaoru.

It had taken them a couple of minutes to get over the shock when Kyouki passed out in the dojo. Well, okay, it took Kenshin and Kaoru a few minutes. Michika was just glaring down at the unconscious girl and calling her stupid. Then she stormed off, saying she'd be in the dining room. Kaoru looked to him for some kind of explanation, but he could only shrug in response. Kenshin reached down and picked Kyouki up, cradling her as one would a child and looked over at Kaoru. "It was probably due to her concussion, de gozaru…"

Kaoru stared curiously at the girl in his arms. "Her passing out?" He nodded slowly and she frowned. "I suppose it wasn't such a great idea to agree to that lesson…" She picked up Kyouki's discarded shinai and put it back with the others, hers included. She stared down at them a moment, replaying the scene in her mind, trying to figure out exactly what happened. The way Kyouki turned on her seemed strange. Kyouki hadn't been secretive, but neither had she handed them her personal information on a silver platter. It reminded her of a certain rurouni… And Kaoru hadn't bothered asking questions because she was so used to Kenshin and the others, what with their pasts and all.

"Kaoru-dono? Are you alright?"

She turned to see the redhead watching her, concern shining in his eyes. She smiled and followed Michika's path, patting his cheek as she passed. "Oh ye of little faith…" A cute pout settled on his features and she turned away, chuckling. She paused and looked back as she reached the door. "Go ahead and take Kyouki to her room. I'll get some rags and water." He nodded and she left to find the things.

With Kyouki now settled in her room and tended, both sat in front of Michika, waiting. She, in turn, was staring at the table top, mentally wishing herself to vanish. Maybe she could turn into a cloud of fog. Yes… a nice cloud of white fog would do nicely. Then she could float on out of here and there wouldn't be a damn thing they could do about it. Then her mind started branching out, showing her the other positives of being a cloud of fog…

"Well?"

Dragged from her rather perverted thoughts, she turned to see both Kenshin and Kaoru staring at her. Kenshin seemed pretty calm, but Kaoru was looking about as impatient as they come. Her arms were crossed and her right eye was twitching like some poor animal in its death throes. It made Michika wonder just how long she'd been sitting there. Rather than excuse her behavior, thereby indirectly admitting she'd done something wrong, she just smiled at the two. "I'm trying to figure out just how to say this…" Then she went back to staring at the tabletop and daydreaming about being fog.

Kenshin smiled blissfully. He knew what was coming…

Kaoru reached over the table and grabbing the front of Michika's kimono and shaking her vigorously for good measure before bringing her face uncomfortably close to the others. "You have exactly thirty seconds to start explaining before I get violent," she growled threateningly.

"But you alre-" Her eyes widened in fear as Kaoru reached a hand behind her. Michika had witnessed Kaoru's strange ability to grab a bokken from thin air earlier and had no wish to become personally acquainted with the wooden sword that would surely appear. She gulped and held her hands up in the universal gesture of surrender. "Alright, alright…" Kaoru smiled triumphantly and released her, returning to her seat next to a smug-looking Kenshin. Michika glared at both of them before resigning herself to her fate. "Why do I get the feeling everyone's against me here…" she grumbled quietly. She took a deep breath and began… sort of. "What has Kyou-chan told you about herself?

"Not much, sessha is afraid," was Kenshin's answer.

"She told me she lived somewhere north of here and was a painter," came Kaoru's response.

Michika smiled at this. "Well, kudos to you, Kaoru-san for managing to drag that bit out of her. Kyou-chan doesn't lie, but she prefers to keep her personal information private. The subject makes her uncomfortable." She made little circles on the table with her finger, her mind drifting back to the fog daydream.

"Why is that, de gozaru ka?"

"Well, that's because she…" She stopped and blinked. "She… umm…" Michika frowned. _I can't tell them that she… that I…_ She glanced up at Kenshin and Kaoru before pinning her gaze on the table again. _They'd tell her and then, even without reverting, she'd kill me… why do you have to be such a pain in the ass, Kyou?_ Another thought struck and she snapped her fingers victoriously. "She's an amnesiac! Yep, that's it."

"Oh really…" It was Kaoru's only input as she arched an eyebrow speculatively. Kenshin remained impassively silent.

Michika nodded several times. "Ask her yourself. Like I said, she won't lie. She can't remember anything that happened to her prior to two years ago."

Kaoru frowned. "Why not? What happened two years ago?"

Michika shook her head. "I don't know exactly…" she answered truthfully. "I do know that she was injured badly, though. I took her to a little shack I knew of in the woods just north of here and tended her wounds. She stayed asleep for days… and when she woke, she could only recall a few things such as her name." Shrugged, making it seem of no consequence to her. "I stayed with her for a few months or so, helping her to settle in and making sure she could take of herself when the time came for me to leave." She sighed. "I kept tabs on her afterwards to make sure she was well, but that was it." She looked back up at them and jerked a thumb in the dojo's direction. "Considering her earlier display though, I'd say Kyou-chan got hurt playing with sharp objects."

That said they all sat quietly, left to their own thoughts. Michika was thanking every god she knew that she'd been able to get by on half-truths, Kaoru was wondering _exactly_ how Kyouki had gotten hurt, and Kenshin… Kenshin was sniffing the air.

Something smelled of smoke.

---------------------------------------------

**Japanese Terms**

Souken no Shibun:  The Four Parts of Creation

Sangokudoumei: Triple Alliance

*sighs* Well, here's yet another compacted chappie... ugh. Maybe I should have chosen to go with a shorter fic for my first time, huh? *smiles tiredly*

Yes, this was pre-read by Author Lady. She's a busy woman so feel special. *smiles* I do. I'm part of her fan club. Teehee.


	15. Changing Views

*giggles insanely before she starts typing… just cause she feels like it*

**Disclaimer****:**  *rubs her eyes sleepily* I'm going to go dream about owning it since reality is the opposite of my wishes. *nods slowly*

**Warning****:**  I actually let a review sway me… *looks pointedly at MaraJadeblu and smiles* Will this do for now?

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**Souken no Shibun**

Changing Views

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Fog drifted across the dark landscape of Kyouki's mind. Surrounding her were the hushed whispers of people she did not recognize. Once or twice she tried to make out what the voices were saying, but no matter how hard she strained her ears, she could never understand them. More than a bit annoyed by this, she walked on in a direction that seemed to be empty of the quiet murmurs. As she moved forward, the fog seemed to lessen a bit and the blackness around her lightened.

She growled as she pushed some of her raven colored hair out of her eyes, wondering what the hell happened to the tie she'd had in it. She debated the possibility of cutting it later, but decided that it wasn't all that important at the moment. That she was walking around in some dream and was fully aware of that fact seemed like a more pressing matter. She continued on, her surroundings finally becoming a gray haze. She paused here a moment, sensing something different. She scanned the immediate area until her eyes came to rest upon a couple standing together not too far from her.

The redhead and the shihondai. Kyouki narrowed her eyes. Why would she be dreaming about them? No answer came to her though as she watched the two speak rather animatedly. As Kaoru laughed at something Kenshin said, Kyouki found herself moving ever closer. Kaoru's expression suddenly became nervous as she asked Kenshin something in tones to low for Kyouki to hear from her crouched position. Kenshin smiled softly at her query, brushing a hand against her cheek and responded simply with "Oh, Kaoru…"

Kyouki nearly gagged on the fluffy sweetness of the moment. This was not a creation of her imagination, but Kaoru's. It was something Kaoru had mentioned in passing during their early morning conversation. So why was she dreaming about it? She only just met these people yesterday and felt nothing outside of friendship for them. Noticing where this scene was heading, she thought it best to be on her way before her mind could conjure up any further occurrences between the two.

Intending to crawl away using the thinning fog as cover, she turned from the couple only to come face to face with a chibi-Kenshin. Or, it would have been, had it not been for certain differences. The child's eyes were blue, his hair a darker red, and the cross scar was missing from his face. Kyouki blinked as the kid stared at her. After a moment, Kyouki reached a finger out to poke the child, not quite sure if he was 'real'. She paused when he smiled at her, untrusting of the innocent expression that didn't quite reach his eyes. He grabbed her finger in one of his tiny hands and shook it in greeting.

He then released her then and stood. "I'm going to have lots of brothers and sisters," he announced happily. Kyouki winced slightly at the volume, but said nothing to the boy. He looked over her shoulder, his expression growing solemn. "They will be bathed in blood as well if something isn't done…" Kyouki stared sharply at the child, her anxiousness growing. He faced her, soulful eyes seeming to pierce her very heart. "What will you do?" She stared at him, trying to decide just what he was asking. There was the obvious meaning of his question, but the edge to his voice, a sad and painful tone no child should know, spoke of another meaning entirely.

A warm voice called out and he ran passed Kyouki, into the waiting arms of an older Kaoru. Together with Kenshin, the trio made for the deeper part of the fog, other child-like voices joining theirs as they passed from sight. Kyouki stood, frowning. Considering her thoughts tended to consist of happy things or nothing at all, that slight taste of morbidity worried her. That it came in the form of a child concerned her even more.

Kyouki's snapped her herself back to attention as an agonizing screech filled the air. A gust of wind blew past her, parting the fog like one would open a curtain, though more slowly. Her eyes widened as she traced its path. A line of crimson, starting from a spot just in front of her, carpeted the revealed ground. The stench in the air was unmistakable as she visually followed the winding trail it created.

Blood. And it led to…

******************************************************

Kyouki's eyes snapped open, consciousness robbing her of the last precious seconds of the dream. She blinked a couple times, her eyes quickly adjusting to the semidarkness, and she quickly surveyed the room. She had apparently been returned to the guest room some time ago. She sat up, the blanket pooling at her waist, and rubbed her temples. The last things she remembered were Kaoru about to hit her and those few moments before she passed out. Time had lapsed between the two occurrences, which meant she'd probably had another one of her 'episodes'.

She had managed to make it through the past few days without having any and it annoyed her that they would choose to resurface at such an inconvenient moment. Her plans to leave the next day would surely be delayed now. Kaoru's protectiveness of her charge would probably kick in, which meant Kyouki would probably be stuck her another day or two. Another day or two spent out in the open where the Nentou could find her.

The shoji slowly slid open, making a minimum of sound, but catching her attention all the same. Nobody here had any reason to try and be quiet which instantly put Kyouki on alert. She took note of any possible weapons in the room as she dragged her gaze to the opening. There wasn't much available, aside from the bowl beside her. Her fingers slipped over the edges of it and tightened in a vise-like grip as she stared intently at the figure in the doorway.

Glittering eyes stared calmly back.

******************************************************

Chushin marched rather comically back towards the Kamiya dojo, his prior feelings of depression and guilt forgotten. Much as he may have hated the encounter with the Nentou, he'd gotten what he wanted. That was reason enough to dance in the street. So he did. The surrounding area emptied quite quickly of any other people. Who knew what might set the crazy man off on a killing spree? It was safer to simply go elsewhere, so the people did. Not that the Chushin noticed any of it. The idea of being able to annoy his sister some more made him light-hearted. So much so, in fact, that he even broke out into song at some point, belting out a sonata to the stars hanging above him.

A final, earsplitting note that seemed to still everything around him heralded his arrival at the dojo gates. He took a deep breath and waited, assured that someone would be along at any moment to grant him entrance. When no one came, he felt slightly insulted, but also a little curious. Why did they not answer? Surely they knew of his appearance. Not only had he sang a little ditty for them, but he'd knocked as well! Wait… no he hadn't. Maybe that was why no one had come yet. Chushin had to admit that singing was an unusual way for people to broadcast their presence at another's doorstep.

Not to mention, his sister was in there. Michika would have been expecting his return. Of course, she might be ignoring him out of spite. She did tend to do that when it suited her purposes. He'd seen 'her', though. The Rei had never ignored him before. Through his correspondence with Michika, he'd learned that she had changed not long after he left, however. Perhaps, she had been influenced by their brother and hated him as well, now. How sad that would be.

The four of them, Masatake, Michika, Kyouki, and himself, had only known each other as children. They'd never been allowed to go out and play with other kids. In fact, playing itself was a rare occurrence. It was completely unheard of in Masatake's case. His constant studying aside, he had always been a stiff little brat and shunned the others' presence. Natsuo and Michika could've cared less. However, the Rei continued her attempts at friendship with him, citing that he was family as her reason. What she did on her time was her own business and Kyouki still found time to play with them, so the two were fine with it.

In the end, those attempts had been her downfall, according to Michika. Kyouki had gotten too close to Masatake and when he changed after their father's death, so had she. Michika had avoided telling him just how the other two had changed, though. He had asked her several times, but she always avoided him using her damnable half-truths. Michika had never been able to lie, but she could twist the truth so much sometimes, it might as well have been one. His mother had kept him informed about the current leader of the Shibun, however. Masatake had taken a turn for the worst when he assumed the position, implying that Kyouki had as well.

Rather than speculate on her changed behavior, he could be in there talking to her right now. With this thought in mind, the last vestige of patience left in him was shredded and tossed to the proverbial wind. He inched the gates opened and peered inside. A quick survey of the place showed him everything it had to offer. Unfortunately, there wasn't a soul in sight. "Hmm, maybe they went out for a bit." He stepped the rest of the way inside and shut the gates behind him. Tensed and ready to bolt for cover, he scanned the yard once again from his new vantage point. However, there was still no one immediately visible and everything around seemed relatively quiet.

His stomach growled, announcing yet again that it had gone too long without food. He wrinkled his nose in distaste at his body's apparent weakness. This wouldn't do at all. Only two nights and it was already complaining. In fact, now that he thought about it, it had been complaining last night as well. He just hoped and prayed that Michika never learned of this. Otherwise, she'd tease him relentlessly until the end of her days. 'Hers' because even a person as righteous as he could only take so much before he snapped and strangled the woman to death. Of course, he would be terribly sorry afterwards. She was his sister, after all. However, he didn't think he would regret such an action. The world would be better place without Michika's vanity and nosiness to mar its beauty. Not to mention, it would be one less possible bump on the road to defeating the Nentou.

Although they both agreed Masatake had to be stopped, he wasn't sure if Michika quite understood what that meant. Their views differed in this instance. Natsuo saw things in black and white, good and evil. If it was evil, it was something to be destroyed. If it was good, it was something to be protected. Michika saw things in shades of gray, however. In her eyes, just because someone was evil, didn't mean they couldn't be changed for the better. Unfortunately for them, Masatake was a bright splash of color on their strict little codes. Being that Masatake had never really been 'good', was only worsening, and was too crafty to be tricked into reforming, the possibility of him switching sides seemed rather far-fetched. Using Natsuo's way of thinking, the answer would usually be simple. Just go in and murder the evil bastard. The evil bastard was family, though. How does one kill their own family in cold-blood, even if it was justifiable?

Feeling his cheerful mood slipping back into depression, he thought it best to put such questions off until it was absolutely necessary to think upon them. For now, everything was fine. Making his way towards the house, he fully intended to raid the kitchen before Michika's return. Being that there weren't any people to witness to his 'weakness', there would be no one to tell her after he satisfied his hunger. As he made it to the porch, he decided he rather liked this place. Homely, spacious, quiet… _Maybe quiet is the wrong word_, he thought as someone shrieked from within the house.

"Pervert!"

******************************************************

Kenshin had smelled smoke, so naturally the other two wanted to race to the kitchen to see what was burning. However, a calm shake of his head stilled them. Michika didn't understand why Kaoru listened to easily to the small man. Aside from the cross scar, she had seen nothing the slightest bit intimidating about the redhead. It wasn't her house though. If they wanted to watch it while it burned down around their ears, she supposed that was their prerogative.

After another moment, he stood and beckoned them to follow. Kaoru obediently did, as did Michika, though she continued to scowl at his backside over Kaoru's shoulder. She was absolutely sure she could've have already found the small fire and put it out, but no, the man had to look superior. He didn't look all that high and mighty to her, sniffing the air like some dog. Dog… yes, that would nicely for a nickname. Thus, Kenshin was dubbed Dog-boy in Michika's mind.

Dog-boy led the little parade out into the hall heading towards the bedrooms. She peered down at the doors lining the hall, wondering which room they had dumped Kyouki in. Hopefully, it was small, cramped, and unbearably hot. The runt deserved it for putting her through so much trouble. It wasn't enough that she'd given Kyouki money, a house, and her personal freedom. No, Kyouki just had to make life harder on Michika. Ungrateful brat. Still, somewhere in the back of her mind, Michika understood that those things weren't really Kyouki's fault.

Dog-boy stopped suddenly as they neared the end of the hallway, almost causing the rest of the procession to slam into him. Both she and Kaoru recovered quickly, however, and peeked around him to see what was so important. Through a shoji open right in front of them, Michika could see Kyouki, wide-awake and sitting up on a futon. She was clutching a bowl at her side, glaring at a man in her door way.

Michika blinked. Man in her doorway? What was a man doing in Michika's doorway? She narrowed, noticing the stronger scent of smoke. And smoking no less?! Michika frowned. _Wait a minute…_ Wasn't smoking something some people tended to do after they did the naughty monkey dance? Michika's mind started putting puzzle pieces together. Bedroom, futon, Michika, and a smoking man (never mind that he was standing there fully dressed in wrinkle free clothing)… _Oh, no he didn't!!_

Michika stepped forward, pulling a bokken from behind Kaoru's back as she did so, and launched it at the offending man's head. "Pervert!" It sailed passed both Kaoru and Kenshin unobstructed, imbedding itself in the wall scant hairs from the other man's head. He never so much as twitched, which confused Michika greatly. Wouldn't most people be running for their lives or at least going into shock from the fear factor by now? Hm, maybe he was going into shock. It's said that people can do the same things differently, so it was a possibility, right?

So why did she get the feeling that wasn't true of the smoking man? And if the other two's action were anything to judge by, they knew him. Michika could feel wave after wave of heated anger flowing off Kaoru, yet the woman did nothing. In the few hours Michika had been here, she'd seen the younger girl do property damage over less. So why was she restraining herself with this newcomer? As for Dog-boy, he was tense. Very tense. Michika couldn't seem to sense much else from him. When he stopped, everything else about him had gone silent, like someone not wanting to startle a wild animal.

She heard the hiss of breath as the man exhaled, a thin cloud of gray smoke rising from before him. Ever so slowly, he turned enough to face the group, amber eyes glinting in the darkness. As his narrow eyes reached her, a feeling in the pit of her stomach told her she might have just made the first and last mistake of her life by attacking that man. Ah, well. She never claimed she made the smartest decisions, just the right ones. And as her fate was most likely sealed and already handed to the executioner, she might as well dive off the deep end.

Michika gathered what courage she had and took another step forward, glaring angrily at him. "Who are you and what the hell do you think you're doing?" She heard a sharp intake of breath behind her and Kenshin shot her a warning glance that she blatantly ignored. If it were possible, the smoking man's eyes narrowed even further, shining from what little light filtered into the hall.

A moment later, she felt Kaoru tugging her back by her arm. "Are you insane?!" she whispered nervously in Michika ear.

The trickster woman felt a smile tugging at her lips, but suppressed it. "Clinically, but that's off the subject." Returning her attention to the smoking man, she crossed her arms angrily. "I believe I asked you a question."

An eyebrow inched up slightly as he studied her a moment. Then promptly verbalized the results of his observations. "Ahou." Michika blinked, her mind trying to sort through what had just happened. Not only was this man not afraid of her, but he also had the audacity to insult her. Her! The Souken no Karada! While she wasn't proud of her position, it was still something that deserved respect! Just as she opened her mouth to retort, something slammed into her backside.

"Where's the fire?! We're all gonna die!"

Michika did her best to cringe away from the person behind her, but to no avail. Natsuo had already latched his arms around her neck, proceeding to strangle the life out of her while continuing to scream incoherently about fire and death. Normally, this would only be cause for some yelling and threatening on her part. However, he was ruining what little intimidation factor she had with his little act. Thus, her reaction was slightly more violent. She grabbed the arms wrapped around her, forced them open, and pitched him over her head straight at the smoking man. Unfortunately, the smoking man dodged gracefully out of the way, but she still had the satisfaction of hearing bones crunch when Natsuo sailed through Kyouki's room and into the wall.

"Saito."

The amber-eyed man turned to Dog-boy, an amused smirk curving his lips. "I see you've found a couple more morons to add to your collection." Saito… the man Sano had spoken of. The cop he'd given that report to. This man was a cop who now knew about the Shibun and what they had done, three of which were now in his presence… _Shit._ Sano had warned her that while Saito would go after the Nentou like she wanted, he would also come for the other three if they were of no use to the current government. She had known this Saito fellow was in Tokyo, but she had hoped to be in and out of the city with none the wiser. Thanks to Kyouki, everything was literally stuck in a downward spiral. Michika only hoped it couldn't get any worse.

His attention still on Kenshin, Saito took a final drag off his cigarette before flicking the smoldering thing out the nearest door. "We need to talk. Bring the idiots." He walked calmly passed the group, obviously heading for the sitting room. Even after the man was out of sight, Kenshin remained tense while Kaoru was relieved, if still somewhat nervous and angry. Michika was both very angry and very scared. Not only had this Saito insulted her, but also in retrospect, he could've killed Kyouki before they'd even noticed his presence.

Kyouki dragged the unconscious Chushin out of her room and deposited him at Michika's feet. "I think that belongs to you. And before you ask, I'm fine." Michika grabbed her younger brother by his wrist and prepared her already battered body to drag his. The redheaded Dog-boy unconsciously tried to work the wrinkles from his own clothing before setting off down the hall after Saito, Kyouki quietly following him. Kaoru sighed and mumbled something to herself before stepping over the unconscious Natsuo to retrieve her bokken from the wall. After a few hard tugs, it came loose and she stared down at it curiously, before turning a glare on Michika.

"Somehow, I feel violated…"

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**Japanese Terms**

Souken no Shibun:  The Four Parts of Creation

Ahou: Moron

**A/N:**  I like reviews... I want more... I won't quit writing even if I don't get them. The only difference is I'll just send everything directly to cymber for her personal enjoyment.

Ack… Author Lady's poking me again… so I'm going to post this now… *rubbing at the poked spots* Mou…


	16. Revealing the Shibun

**Disclaimer****:**  How many different ways can a person say that they don't own RK? Maybe I should start in with languages…

**Warning****:**  A chapter-long Saito POV. Author Lady assured me I did fine, but I figured I better warn you anyways…

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**Souken no Shibun**

Revealing the Shibun

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Saito was seated comfortably within the sitting room, positioned to block any escape through one of the few exits leading outside. It happened to be the one closest to the dojo gates and although he didn't expect any trouble, one could never be too careful. Quietly, he watched the idiots file into the room, studying each as they entered. The Battousai was silent as ever, watching Saito just as Saito watched him. Behind him came the Rei, according to that file. The little ghost girl was the reason he had originally come here. Apparently, it was going to be a package deal, though. It might have been his lucky day, had he not found these three in the company of the Battousai.

Behind 'Ghost' walked two others of the Shibun. Well, technically one was walking while the other was passed out cold, getting his face dragged across the wooden floor. The Karada and the Heart. The female moron and the punching bag. It was sad that he was actually forced to differentiate between morons. The only other person he'd found to be _that_ stupid was the chicken-head fighter. At least with idiots like that around, things tended to stay interesting, if nothing else. As for the Chushin… he probably wouldn't live very long in Saito's company. In the span of mere minutes, it was rather obvious to Saito that the whiny man would be annoying as hell. From his interaction with the Karada, the Chushin would be even more annoying if he knew he was succeeding. Perhaps if he remained unconscious, Saito would not be forced to waste his energy shutting the man up.

Finally came the Kamiya girl, her customary bokken resting against one shoulder. She basically glared at everyone present, including himself, before taking a seat beside his adversary. They were waiting on Saito now, but he didn't bother to begin. There was still one more coming. The brat. Any second now, he should be walking through that door…

"I take it the discussion got bigger while I was at work?"

Saito had to smirk a little at that. The boy was surprisingly smart and truly did have potential to be a great swordsman. Too bad he was trained by the Kamiya girl and influenced by the Battousai's pacifistic ideals. It was of no consequence to him, though. Right now, with everyone seated, he had a job to do. And oh, what a wonderful job it would be… as long as that one guy remained comatose.

He returned his attention to the group and the way they were seated. Not counting the unconscious idiot, four out of five people were obviously put on edge by his presence. The Kamiya girl, the Battousai, the brat, and the female moron. The first three were expected. The fourth was nice, because it meant she knew why he was here. However, the fifth's reaction was completely opposite of the others. The Ghost girl looked bored and far too comfortable for his taste. Perhaps that would change as the conversation progressed. He certainly hoped so. He'd hate to think he was losing his touch.

"Have you heard of the Souken no Shibun?" Three pairs of eyes narrowed while two others looked confused.

"In passing," was the Battousai's vague response. Both the moron and the Ghost remained quiet while the tanuki girl and the brat continued to look confused. 

"What about the Sangokudoumei?" Nothing this time but utter silence. The only one who appeared to know anything was the moron, because she was the only one still glaring at him. It was a stupid of her, in a way, but what could one expect from someone of such low intelligence? "Would you care to explain, Karada?"

He was almost surprised to hear her growl at him as she spared a glance at the faces of the others. Almost. "Not really."

"It would be wiser if you did, as I'm sure your information would be much more accurate than my own."

"I wrote the report Sagara gave you."

"Half-truths and lies."

Michika snorted. "I never lie."

"Yet you do not deny the half-truths." Saito felt satisfaction at the sight of her eye twitching, but also because of the lost look the others were giving them. "One of my position must be aware of the situation in its entirety in order to properly act. Withholding information is not only dangerous, but also stupid. It protects no one."

Michika crossed her arms, ignoring the others entirely. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Excuse me… BUT WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!" This from the tanuki. All eyes shifted to her at her outburst, causing an embarrassed blush to tint her cheeks, but she didn't back down. The girl was getting braver everyday.

"The future, Kamiya. Something I'm sure you're very interested in seeing." The girl paled slightly at the hidden threat, but it was the only reaction she gave. Saito disregarded the Battousai's warning glare entirely and continued. "Souken no Shibun was a philosophy created by Yoshikawa Takumi, a discontent nobleman. It was meant as a way to reform society through _mostly_ peaceful means. As a 'precaution', Yoshikawa created what he believed would be the physical manifestations of his ideals. This way, if peaceful means did not work or should he have met an untimely demise, there would be others to carry on in his absence."

"Children," Kenshin stated sadly.

Saito nodded. "Impressionable and with their entire lives ahead of them, they would be perfect for his needs."

A look of horror passed across Kaoru's features as she realized the implications of what had just been said. "You mean he trained them to kill…"

"Of course. However, not just any children would do. Naturally, they had to be Yoshikawa's, but he chose different mothers for diversity. He decided to upon three foreigners and one Japanese woman, who had a foreign background. At this time, I don't have any information pertaining to who these women were or how he chose. I do know that one of the foreign women met with an unfortunate end en route, forcing Yoshikawa to conceive his fourth child with one of the women he already had. As for the ages, the first child was born twenty-six years ago and the last is around the age of eighteen."

Saito sat quietly, allowing their simple minds enough time to digest the information. The Karada was looking everywhere but at the people around her, seeming about as uncomfortable as one could get. The Ghost's reactions were still a mystery to him. In the Karada's report, there had been almost nothing about the Rei. Her position within the Shibun was explained, her activities implied, but there was almost no personal information. No name, no description, and her whereabouts according to the report were 'unknown'. However, Karada had given finely detailed information concerning the Nentou, his activities, and his place of residence. She'd even drawn an incredibly accurate map and supplied him with information concerning guards and their rotations.

As he waited, he began to wonder who would ask the obvious question first. Even the Battousai seem to be taking his sweet time in putting things together. In the end, it was only the kid who seemed to display any brain at all. "I've never heard any of this before. If these supposed brats are that dangerous, where are they now?"

Saito allowed a smirk to curve his lips yet again as he answered. "They're closer than you think…"

Kaoru narrowed her sapphire eyes. "The Four Parts of Creation… what are they?"

"The Nentou, the Rei, the Chushin and of course," he gestured towards the glaring Michika, "our dear Karada."

Kaoru could see the amused glint in his eyes as he watched Michika fume. It almost made her feel sorry for the woman that she'd been chosen as his new 'ahou' in Sano's absence. Almost. Wait, that reminded her… "Didn't you two just mention Sano?" She watched as Saito's eyebrow shot up and Michika slapped her forehead.

"I completely forgot! This is all your fault, Kyou-chan," Michika informed the confused looking Kyouki, popping her in the back of her head.

"Ow! Hey, I'm injured here, you know!"

"Don't be mean to Kyou!" jeered the now conscious man whom Michika didn't seem too fond of. "Besides," he continued, somehow managing to look superior even from his place on the floor, "this is really your fault for getting a cop involved in the first place. I can't believe you'd even stoop so low. How unjust," he declared in righteous indignation.

"Oh, shut up, Natsuo." Michika grabbed Natsuo and slammed his head into the floor, rendering him senseless once again. She then turned her attention to Kaoru and the other residents of the dojo. "The chicken-head said that I should warn you about the Nentou should he disappear. He did, so here I am, even if it is a little late." Michika returned to her glaring, but she couldn't seem to decide between Saito and Kyouki.

Kaoru frowned. "Then neither of you know where he is?" Michika shook her head while Saito simply remained silent. Kaoru sighed.

Kenshin, who had remained impassively silent, finally spoke up. "If the Shibun were meant to reform society, why has no move been made until now, de gozaru ka?"

Saito dug into his pocket for his cigarette pack. "Yoshikawa was murdered some years ago. The Nentou took control of his father's organization and changed the original philosophy. Within his version, the Shibun has a new purpose." He finally pulled the pack out and slipped one into his mouth, lighting it.

Kaoru cocked her to side, curious. "And that new purpose is?"

"To simply destroy those who stand in his way," Michika replied, her tone hard. She scowled at some invisible point on the floor as she spoke. "We were each trained for specific things. The Karada's main function was to lead the armies. The Nentou's main function was to lead the people and plan the basic battle strategies. The Rei's main purpose was to control the masses through persuasion, though even I'm not sure exactly how she was to manage that. Her secondary purpose was as an assassin. The Chushin's main function was as a mediator between the people and the Shibun, protecting both from themselves and each other. His secondary purpose was as a spy." She looked up at the others, anger flaring in her eyes. "Under the Nentou's new regime, however, only he and the Rei are actually necessary. And the Rei's secondary function became her primary one."

Kaoru nodded slowly. "I see, but just how does this concern _us_ personally?" Kaoru asked, putting emphasis on the 'us' to make it clear that Kenshin was not going to be running off anywhere by himself again.

It was Kenshin who answered her this time. "Because _we_ are a threat, Kaoru-dono," he replied in turn. Kaoru blinked, not quite understanding.

"Apparently," Saito started, pulling the cigarette from his mouth, "this Nentou sees you and the other idiots as much of a threat as the Battousai."

Kaoru's brow furrowed. Someone actually bothered to think of the people around Kenshin as more than victims waiting to be used. This Nentou even went so far as to think of them on the same level as Kenshin. Kaoru couldn't decide if this was a good or bad thing. Being recognized as such was somewhat of an honor, but if it meant even more people were going to be beating down her dojo gates, she'd rather remain nameless. Still, she was tempted to thank the man even though he was obviously plotting her family's death.

That Saito was here meant one of two things at this point:  either he was here for Michika, being that she was the Karada, or he was here to yet again extend to Kenshin the government's invitation to save their asses. If it were the latter, Kenshin would most likely accept, considering the threat to their family was already apparent. Still, Kaoru held out hope that he would not become involved in this situation any more than necessary. She had seen Kenshin on the verge of death one too many times and had no wish to see him that way again. He might not be so lucky this time. Then again, he might have only come here seeking Michika, wanting to get more information from her. However, Michika had only just shown up, so it was doubtful he was here for that. Barring those two options though, there was no reason for him to be here, unless…

"Excuse me," Kyouki interrupted timidly, "but what does any of this have to do with the Battousai?"

Michika echoed her, curious as well. "Yes, what _does_ this have to do with him?"

Everything went utterly silent at everyone stared at the two in shock. Even Saito was forced to arch that eyebrow of his again. Both girls looked around at the others, seeming both equally confused and embarrassed by the attention. Finally, Saito recovered his wits enough to answer. He nodded his head sharply in his Kenshin's direction. "He's Battousai."

Kyouki blinked. "I thought Battousai was dead," she murmured, glancing over at Kenshin.

Kaoru had to physically restrain herself from attacking Michika when she crawled over and stuck her nose right up to Kenshin's own. With narrowed eyes, Michika sat there quietly, as if studying him to some great extent. After a moment, she smirked and backed up a bit. "I thought you'd be taller."

Kenshin sighed and nodded sadly. "Sessha gets that a lot, de gozaru yo."

"He doesn't seem very scary to me," Natsuo's muffled voice chimed. "He just looks like a girl." Natsuo looked up to see Michika glaring at him and cringed. "I take that back… girls are actually the scariest thing I know." Kaoru couldn't help but grin as he gave Kenshin a thumbs up. "Go you!" he cheered before diving behind Kyouki to hide.

Kenshin sweatdropped. "At least he was unique…"

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Japanese Terms 

Souken no Shibun:  The Four Parts of Creation

Sangokudoumei:  Triple Alliance

Tanuki: raccoon

**A/N:**  I'm not going to beg for reviews. Nope. That would make me a hypocrite. Whether I get reviews or not won't stop me from writing. All the reviews do is decide on whether it will continue to be posted here. *blinks* And don't think I'm being threatening or anything. *shrugs* I'm just saying it's a waste of energy when I could be sending this directly to the one person I know is enjoying it. *nods*

Author Lady did the beta thing while I went to Subway, so all is well. *nods sagely*


	17. Storytime

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Disclaimer: I don't own it. Simple as that. I could try to make it seem more complicated, but I don't quite feel up to the task yet.

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Warning: I warn you, this chapter is longer than any previous chapter I've written. *nods happily*

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Souken no Shibun

Storytime

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"Well, Jonah? What do you think?"

The foreign man of blonde hair and brown eyes blinked, ordering his thoughts quickly before he spoke. "It's possible." He rubbed his chin, squinting at the papers before him. When they had been handed to him, he had spread them out neatly across the table surface, so that he might be able to look at them all at once. It was a bit strange, but sometimes his mind would only find the answers he sought by doing this. The papers were now set out before him, the events written on them displayed in the order that they occurred.

Mother's background information, date of birth, caretakers, training schedules, instructors, a list of the skills acquired, and a list of those that still needed perfecting. There was even a report that listed the daily activities... _All_ of them, from daily snack raids on the kitchen to nightly trips to the bathroom. Wow, she was a sleep-walker. Who'd have guessed?

Jonah scanned again over the page that disclosed the personalities and their quirks. After a moment, he shook his head. "I don't think the Chushin had any part of it. It was completely the Karada's doing." He rearranged a couple of the papers until their placement satisfied him. He pointed to a couple paragraphs on each page. "And if this is correct, then your sister was being a naughty little girl after Yoshikawa's demise." He pushed the papers away from him and smiled. "Rather smart of her to use her known activities to hide what she was truly up to."

"Indeed," the Nentou agreed in an annoyed tone. He wasn't too fond of the idea that Michika had done something without his knowledge. All that time and he never suspected a thing. Oh, he knew she wasn't happy. She had never _been_ happy. That the woman had no childhood to speak of had rather depressed her. To continue living the way she had even after their father's passing had not helped her any. He knew that the lifestyle that had been forced upon them since their birth displeased Michika.

He knew that in time, she would tire of her surroundings and leave. He was more than willing to let her go without a fight, truth be told. He had no use for her, but furthermore, she was family. It weighed upon his heart to see the naturally cheerful woman so dispirited. She would be happier once free of her position in the Shibun. They all would have been happier. At the time, however, he could only afford to lose so many of the Shibun. Natsuo was already gone and with Michika to depart, he had to retain Kyouki in order for things to run as they should.

Besides, over time, he and the Rei had become close. She knew that though he acted cold towards the others, he did care about their welfare and wanted only the best for them. Thus, when he killed his father and took over the organization, the two had set about revising the man's philosophy. When they were finished, only the Nentou and the Rei were needed. However, it meant more work for him and the Rei was forced to set aside her morals.

To keep the peace within the organization and to hold off their enemies, it was necessary to for her to take up her secondary function as her primary. Needless to say, she wasn't thrilled about becoming an assassin. Although it was in her 'job description', she had never participated in such activities and had no real wish to. However, in order to allow Michika to leave and keep everything stable, it was a necessary evil. Kyouki was willing to make the sacrifice. So she did.

Things changed though. Nentou would fully admit that. He changed because of the people he had to deal with and the things he was forced to see. As for Kyouki, killing changes anyone who does it. She was driven to the brink of insanity, he knew it as well as she. Yet, neither were sorry for their decision. Even with only the two of them, the organization continued to thrive.

Then came the Sangokudoumei. It was an alliance created out of fear and anger. The three most prominent groups of the underground at the time brought together by a common factor: the Souken no Shibun. The Shibun's growth threatened to trample the current yakuza groups underfoot. The Kabuki-mono, the Bakuto, and the Tekiya, alike, were to be destroyed by the group's rise to power. So the three banded together in an tentative coalition against the up and coming syndicate.

Only newly formed, the Sangokudoumei's power base was still unstable. The Nentou sent a group of assassins, with Kyouki leading, to dispose of the recently constructed cartel. She, along with the others, were to kill the leaders of this alliance and destroy whatever information the Sangokudoumei had about the Souken no Shibun. She was allotted a month's time to accomplish this task.

At the month's end, just before the Sangokudoumei were set to make their first attack on the Souken's base of operations, Jonah appeared with the good news. Kyouki had completed her mission. She, and those she lead, systematically infiltrated each group, discreetly destroying all information that was even remotely connected to the Souken. In the momentary confusion caused by the discovery of this act, they struck, slaughtering not only the three leaders of the Sangokudoumei, but also their second in commands. A few of her operatives even managed to kill some of their most influential advisors.

However, Kyouki had foolishly tried to save some of her operatives who hadn't fared so well. In doing so, she herself had been injured. She arrived home two days after Jonah had. Her comrades in arms had managed to stop most of the bleeding, but even so, she was still in bad shape. The doctors assured him though that all she needed was rest and to have her wounds tended. Only he and Michika were allowed to visit her, but as discord had grown between the two, they chose to look in on her at different times. It didn't matter to him. He didn't really care to know what crap she would spout to the weakened Rei. Looking back, he could admit it was a mistake, because that was when the Karada made her move.

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"And what happened to the Sangokudoumei, de gozaru ka?"

Saito, flicked the ashes off his cigarette, not really caring where they landed. He had just finished giving the idiots the background information he'd read in the Karada's report. Again, he knew that much had been left out, but it was the best source of information aside from the Karada herself. And she was... 'indisposed' at the moment.

At some point during the short history lesson, she and the one called Natsuo, a man he assumed to be the Chushin, got into an whispered argument. It was bothersome, but hardly worth the effort to stop. As Saito neared the end of the Shibun's little tale, the argument escalated into a full-scale fight. While Saito would normally have been somewhat amused by the antics, at this point they were only annoying. They were disturbing important police business. In fact, if he so desired, he could simply take them into custody. Both were part of the Shibun and had several crimes to atone for, he was sure. It would certainly be fun to see the two of them rotting in a cell together. Watching them would give him something to do on his cigarette breaks.

His attention was brought back to the quarreling siblings when they suddenly quieted. It seemed Ghost had solved the problem for him. While he was busy imagining tortures for the two, the Rei had tied both up and gagged them with a little help from the tanuki. Saito knew he had only been out of it for a second at the most which led him to wonder why the tanuki would have such items on hand... Perhaps, it was better for him not to follow that line of thinking. After all, there was no way the little girl could possibly compare to Tokio...

"Saito?"

He blinked and looked at Battousai, from who the question had come. He then realized why. The uncharacteristic grin fell from his face, replaced by a rather dangerous looking scowl. Satisfied that all was as it should be, the Battousai returned his attention to the ending scuffle. Now both the ghost and the tanuki each held one 'shiny and very pointy looking' chopstick. Strangely, 'shiny and very pointy looking' was actually engraved in bright red kanji on each of the wooden utensils turned weapon. The people Battousai attracted to him would never cease to amaze him. Their idiocies were almost too much to bear at times.

The two girls used said chopsticks to poke their captives into silence when they were becoming too rowdy. Since both the moron and the punching bag were silent, he turned his attention to Battousai's query concerning the Sangokudoumei. "Although, their leaders were killed along with many other important members, somehow the group managed to survive and recover. If my latest information is correct, they've come under new management lately and just as the Shibun's purpose shifted, so has theirs."

Kenshin arched a curious eyebrow. "Oh? And in what way has their goal changed, de gozaru ka?"

"Rather than destroy the Souken no Shibun, they wish to absorb it." Saito was almost tempted to shrug carelessly, but resisted the urge. That he would even be impelled to commit such an action spoke rather negatively of his recent extensive association with Sagara. Put simply, the chicken-head was rubbing off on him. Saito was not pleased.

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Japanese Terms

Souken no Shibun: The Four Parts of Creation

Sangokudoumei: Triple Alliance

Kabuki-mono: Crazy ones

Bakuto: Gambler

Tekiya: Street Peddler

Tanuki: raccoon

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A/N: Alrighty, just so everyone knows... kabuki-mono, bakuto, and tekiya are technically _parts_ of a yakuza, but I liked the names. Also, I'm not sick anymore (YAY!), but that actually had nothing to do with my not posting yesterday's chapter. The reason I didn't post yesterday's chapter was because my computer decided that was a good time to argue with me. It wouldn't let me open up Microsoft Word, which is the program I use to write these puppies. It still won't let me open it. So I'm being forced to write on WordPad instead, which has no nice spell/grammar checker or Word Count. This meant more work for poor cymberleah, so I hope everyone appreciates the extra effort she put in (I tried to fix some of the errors before I sent it to her, but... again I suck at finding my own mistakes). She did applaud me on the fact that I managed to write over 1600 words on the actual chapter. *grins* I didn't even think I'd topped 1000. Shows what I know. Hopefully, my compy will be nice to me again soon. *sighs* *smiles* Anyways, on to the reviews!

To cymberleah: I'm glad you're starting to like Natsuo. As for Saito, he's probably going to be in a couple more chapters before he makes a temporary exit. Also... *bows humbly before you* Thank you, for all your hard work. *smiles* I warned you there would be lots of typos since I was without my spellchecker. You are the best beta-er ever. You are just awesome.

To Starvoicereason: I remember you! *waves arms happily* You're the traveler from the Trigun section, or more specifically, cymber's story. Trust me, if I could do it, these chapters would be much longer and still be updated daily. I just can't seem to manage it normally. The point of the Kenshin torture... Kaoru's was getting back at him for being a wuss. My reasoning... I was just being sadistic. As for the powder... that still lies ahead. *smiles* You'll just have to wait on that one. *chuckles* Yummy... *eyes twinkle as she stares at her can of chocolate frosting* Mm, very yummy...

To beege: *eyes twinkle* I agree, that would have been a better comeback. *sighs* However, at least to my eyes, the reply implies dead bodies floating in a creek somewhere and considering Kenshin's still in rurouni form, the two don't mesh. *glomps you* But your comeback really was better... *smiles sweetly* So where's the update on your story, huh? *pouts* Or did I miss it somehow? *goes off to look right quick*

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To MaraJadeblue: *just laughs at the first review* *smiles* Thanks for the concern. I actually was better by the time I read your last review. *pouts* Mou... I think the only reason KIS isn't more popular is because people haven't taken the time to read it. If they would sit down and actually start the first chapter, they'd find your fic terribly interesting and very funny. As for my fic, I don't think it's technically 'popular', it just has a loyal little band of readers, of which you are one. *smiles* As for the linear plot and dragging stuff together... I was trying my best to _not_ overcomplicate things, because I have a tendency to confuse myself that way. *sweatdrops* *shakes her head* And actually, I think the combining of the earlier chapters may be a good idea. However, for the moment at least, I can't do it. Once the compy decides to be friendly, I'll see what I can do to make the chapters less intimidating. *eyes twinkle* You're putting the story on your fav list? That's so cool! *huggles her Kenshin figurine* Making up words is fun. *laughs at the mushy side comments* As for the original characters, I'm sort of taking turns spotlighting them... that way I can think things through from their POV and not confuse myself overly, as I am easily confused. As Author Lady. It's become a hobby of hers to confuse me on an almost daily basis. *smiles* And no, Kyouki doesn't have dual personalities. I have her looking similar to Kenshin for a reason, but I think her having dual personalities would be a little reminiscent of dear old Kenshin. *laughs heartily at the rest of the review*

Ack! Ok, so here's the next chappie. Please forgive any errors within the A/N as Author Lady had to go to bed after proof-reading the actual chapter. *bows to everyone* Thanks for being so understanding. And perhaps, if I ask nicely enough, she'll convert this to html for me so it'll look better. Then I can re-upload the pretty version. *eyes twinkle*


	18. Variables

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Disclaimer: As for before stated in previous chapters in various manners, Rurouni Kenshin is officially not the property of one Jade of Anime. It belongs to its creator, Watsuki Nobushiro, who is currently missing from the shores of Japan. *muffled screams for help come from the closet behind her* Watsuki-san's whereabouts are currently unknown. *grins evilly*

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Warning: Kumagoro!! Don't tell Maki Murakami though... *tries to look innocent*

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Souken no Shibun

Variables

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With Saito's explanation finished, Kyouki took the time to review everything that had been said. There'd only been a few things mentioned that she hadn't known of. She'd known of the Sangokudoumei and the Shibun's quarrel, but that wasn't something a person stuck their nose into. That she'd become this involved already couldn't be a good thing.

That Michika was a part of that Shibun, or at least _was_, was a new to Kyouki as well. Michika had never displayed any special abilities or skills that Kyouki could remember. Sure, the woman seemed unusually strong for a female, but then so was Kaoru. Michika also had this phenomenal ability to ration things. She'd seen that during the few months that Michika had stayed with her. The trickster somehow always managed to make food and money last as long as was needed. Michika also had an extensive knowledge of herbs, which hadn't seemed strange to Kyouki. After the woman left and Kyouki had to make her own trips to town, she saw that it was indeed unusual. Kyouki had simply written these things off to the most logical explanations, as most people tend to do when confronted with such things.

Now, two parts of the Shibun were revealed to her and the others. The Nentou and the Karada. Considering that Michika had gotten the police involved and with what Kyouki knew of her, she didn't think the woman was a threat to anyone. The Nentou was an issue soon to be resolved from the looks of things, too. However, that still left two unknowns. The Chushin and the Rei. These two were variables that could ruin everything or put an end to the situation even more quickly. Like Saito though, she too had an idea of who the Chushin was. It was best to be certain though.

She poking Michika, her chosen captive, in the shoulder with her chopstick. "Not to put too fine a point on it," she punctuated this with another poke from her chopstick, "but I think you still have a few things to tell us." Michika twisted her head around enough to glare at the girl sitting on her back. Michika tried to speak then, or rather yell, but as she was still gagged, it only came out as muffled jibberish. Not that it would've mattered. It was rather obvious she was just screaming obscenities at the smaller girl.

Chuckling drew her attention to the man trapped beneath Kaoru. 'Natsuo' Michika had called him. He seemed to find the whole situation very amusing for some reason. Kyouki frowned, something niggling at the back of her mind. Kaoru mistook the frown for a look of annoyance and flicked the man's nose with her chopstick. The brunette immediately became teary-eyed, sniffling cutely. Kyouki had to bite her lip to keep from snickering. It was bad enough she already had Michika mad at her.

She heard Michika sigh and knew the trickster was ready to talk. Kyouki helped her sit back up, but refrained from untying, worried the woman would try to hurt someone. Michika seemed to understand this and, though her tone was ireful, she remained amenable. "What would you like to know?"

Kyouki returned to her former seat on the floor and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Well, I was curious about the other two members of the Shibun, actually. Where are the Chushin and the Rei?"

There was a strangled whine from the still-gagged Natsuo, but he shut up when Michika glared at him. "I would think that the Chushin's whereabouts were apparent by now." Natsuo started bobbing his head madly in agreement, knocking Kaoru from her perch atop his backside.

"It was rather obvious," Saito remarked in a bored tone, an _almost_ smug look settling on his angled features.

Kyouki frowned, but deigned the man's comment ignorable. "So Natsuo here is the infamous Chushin. That's rather..." She glanced over at the writhing man as he tried to escape Kaoru's vengeful poking. "...anticlimactic." Kyouki shook her head, irritated. "And to think I was worried he was going to be some horribly dangerous killer." Natsuo finally gave up trying to escape Kaoru's jabs and simply curled into a fetal ball. "He's... fluff."

Everyone took a moment to watch the whimpering man on the floor, nodding in agreement with the statement. Kenshin shook his head, a piteous look on his face. "It is rather hard to believe, however, not impossible, de gozaru yo."

"Especially considering the girlie guy that's coming from," Michika muttered, low enough for only Kyouki to understand. Kenshin frowned at the woman, seeming to have heard even from his seat across the room. Michika grinned at him and, although it was hard to tell from her point of view, Kyouki could almost swear he was grinding his teeth.

"Michika-dono," Kenshin began in an all too sweet tone, "you still have yet to inform us of the Rei's location, de gozaru," he innocently reminded her. He smiled brightly, taking pleasure in the scowl that appeared on her face, while remaining seemingly ignorant of the fact that Michika had been trying to avoid that particular topic almost since her arrival. "We must know what is threatening us in order to properly defend against it, after all."

Michika growled quietly. "Trust me, the Rei is of no concern to you or anyone else."

Saito arched an eyebrow. "As I am the one investigating this case, I will decide what is 'of no concern'."

She glowered at him, but did not object to his claim. "I just knew everyone was against me," she mumbled to herself. She pulled her hands from behind her, having apparently freed them of their restraints, and began undoing the ropes around her ankles. "The whereabouts of the Rei have been unknown to the Shibun for two years now."

Kaoru narrowed her eyes, deeming the moment a good time to join in the conversation once again. "Considering your growing reputation for half-truths, I think there's more to that than you're telling, Michika-san."

"And while the young lady may only suspect you," Natsuo added, having chewed through his gag, "I know the evil truth of your unrighteous deception, Aneki."

Michika through her hands into the air, exasperated. "Only because I told you! And why are you on their side, anyways?"

Natsuo looked Michika as if it were the most obvious answer ever, and considering him, it was probably was. "It's only right. Theirs is the honorable side, therefore my place is among them," he answered loftily.

Michika's eye twitch madly. "Fine." She turned to the onlookers with an evil little smirk and made herself comfortable. "Well, it all began with this little pink bunny..."

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Japanese Terms

Souken no Shibun: The Four Parts of Creation

Sangokudoumei: Triple Alliance

Aneki: elder sister

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A/N: Ack... running late, running late... as stated in the note that used to be up, there's been family emergency type stuff. So updates may not be daily, but will still be often... unless cymberleah refuses to give my pen back. *eyes twinkle* I finally got a hold of some money! I can finally go see Spiderman! *eyes get shifty* I'm going to avoid the Star Wars movie though... I was nearly mobbed at the last one for making a negative comment after the show. *sweatdrops*

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To Colleen: *eyes twinkle* I write Saito well? *gets big cheesy grin* Cool! *crosses her arms, nods* Yes, Saito does seem a bit too superior at times. *sighs* The compy problems are still present, but I'm trying to fix it.

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To beege: I actually managed to 'twist' something? *fidgets happily* The reviews are all so nice on this chappie! As for your slow updates, I'm okay with it. *smiles* After all, I'm updating a little slower now too. *blinks* Eh? When did I get on your fav author's list? *glomps you* Sugoi nano da!

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To cymberleah: *arches suspicious eyebrow* Yeah... you confusing me seems to happen a lot. And Saito is staying... at least for another chapter. *glances up at response to note* Nuuu!! You took my sacred pen! *puffs up cheeks* I have been busy with mom... I ran errands for her, drove her places so she could yell at people, and got her some crackers. I did other things... but I've slept since then. I took a nap and now I can't remember... *sweatdrops*

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To Ayce Shade: Saito won't be leaving the fic, I promise. *smiles* I only intend to take him out for a few chapters so he can wander around without people bugging him. *grins* *scrunches her nose* As for Aoshi and the Oniwabanshuu... that's still up in the air. It depends on whether I feel confident enough that I can write Aoshi and the others. *grins* And yes, Saito does rule! *points at beta* Author Lady is a rabid Saito fan. *smiles* And thanks for your support. It means a lot.

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To MaraJadeblu: Gah, I put an 'e' on the end, I'm so sorry! I didn't realize I'd done that. *bows* Gomen! As for the description concerning Kyouki's injuries, Nentou was giving minor summary of what happened that night and at the time, he didn't know where the injuries were, although I suppose I could've added the placement of the wound after the fact. I'm actually going to devote a chapter or two somewhere down the road to that one night, though. There'll be lots of nice descriptions about everything in that. But please, don't feel bad about trying to be helpful! I like it! If there's something you don't like or want an explanation for, just tell me. *smiles* Only with constructive criticism like yours can I write better. *nods happily* I mean that, too. That's why I think I've been progressively (if somewhat slowly, in my opinion) getting better... Author Lady happily does the constructive criticism thing when she betas. *frowns* Although, sometimes I think she's a little too happy about it sometimes... *chuckles*

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To Starvoicereason: *eyes twinkle* You have people in your head? Sweet! *grins* I just have disembodied voices... *taps her chin* Three of them, if I remember correctly. There's the one representing my conscious thoughts, there's the one that appears to argue with those thoughts and tell me I'm being stupid, then there's the third... it's a rarely heard little whisper that tells me all about 'right and wrong'. As for the reviews, you do whatever is most convenient for you. *smiles* I don't intend to stop... *glances in cymberleah* ...barring threats from certain people, of course. *grins* As for Battousai and fun... you'll just have to wait.

Hopefully, Author Lady will be nice and html this one for me too.

(insert you're own little comment here if you like, cymberleah!) The beta reader prefers to not comment at this time. Nyah.


	19. Straying

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Disclaimer: Again, I don't own it. If I did, I wouldn't be writing 'fanfiction', now would I? *frowns at the silence coming from her closet* I'm still working on that, though...

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Warning: Yes, it has been about a week since my last update... I'm not sure how well this chappie was written. *sighs* More explanations at the bottom.

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Souken no Shibun

Straying

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Alrighty, a little reminder... (by descending age)

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Karada: Michika

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Nentou: Masatake

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Rei: Kyouki

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Chushin: Natsuo

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Kenshin had remained mostly quiet throughout the entire discussion. A few questions here and there, but that was it. Listening to the current conversation, he knew he certainly didn't have anything to add to this particular part of the ordeal.

"Not the pink bunnies again!"

"Well, that was how it started! And I thought that they would want an explanation of _why_ Rei isn't a threat. 

Maybe if they knew, they wouldn't bother her."

Natsuo blinked. "I suppose you have a point..."

Michika crossed her arms haughtily. "And I'm always right, am I not?"

Natsuo frowned, trying to ignore Kaoru's bored tapping on his head. "Well, actually, no..."

Kyouki raised a chopstick into the air. "I concur. In all the time that I've spent with you, you were only right about a few things and lucked out on others. The rest of the time you were utterly wrong."

Michika's mouth dropped, making her look about as indignant as one could get. "I've never been wrong!"

Natsuo smirked. "What about the freak dying accident that made those bunnies pink?"

"They were cute, therefore I wasn't wrong," Michika answered, sticking her tongue out at the younger sibling.

Kyouki waved her chopstick around. "What about that time you over-watered my vegetable garden?"

Michika glared at the smaller woman. "That wasn't my fault... how was I supposed to know your pump would spit out that much water at once?"

Kyouki arched an unbelieving eyebrow. "Then why did you keep pumping?"

"It's been two years. I don't remember, but I'm sure I had a good reason."

"Of course," Kyouki said rather sarcastically.

The three were completely engrossed in their petty argument now, ignoring everyone else present. Kenshin sighed wearily, brushing some bangs out of his face. He knew the expression on his face at that moment made him look slightly irritated. He no longer cared, though. 'Slightly' didn't come anywhere near describing the amount of annoyance he actually felt. There was a situation brewing outside the dojo walls that would have his family's lives hanging in the balance and these three were arguing like children. Even Sano and Yahiko knew enough to be serious when the time came. Watching the three newcomers made him downright proud of the other two's behavior.

"This is getting us nowhere," Saito astutely observed, stating the obvious as he finished what would now be his third cigarette. Kenshin nodded his agreement, though he was lost as to a way to silence the three. Clearing his throat hadn't worked the last few times he'd tried and Kenshin was hesitant to yell as it didn't seem right, even if they were being horribly rude at the moment.

In fact, if he were of the mind to, he'd even go so far as to cause them physical harm for their apparent lack of consideration for his family's well-being. Something about that thought caught his attention and Kenshin blinked, replaying it in his head. For a moment he didn't understand why his focus had snagged on it, but realization came as he watched Kaoru continuing to tap on Natsuo's head. "Kaoru-dono," he called, grinning merrily.

She dragged her attention from the quarreling group, ceasing her tapping, and blinked at him. "Yes?"

He gestured the arguing trio. "Would you care to do the honors, de gozaru ka?"

She comprehended his request immediately and picked up her bokken. "With pleasure," she responded gleefully. Natsuo, who still lay tied up next to Kaoru, was immediately incapacitated. A few seconds later, Kyouki found herself missing a chopstick and stared mournfully at her empty hands. It was then that Michika found herself staring down the shaft of Kaoru's bokken. Hence, the three were sufficiently silenced.

"Now that we have your attention," Kaoru growled, looking downright evil, "how about we try doing this a little differently..." Michika squeaked fearfully and Kaoru took that as a sign of agreement. Kyouki ignored the two, still looking around for her missing chopstick. "I'll ask yes or no questions, that way you won't have to think so hard to come up with more of your half-truths." Michika had enough wits about her to look insulted, but held her tongue. "Alright... do _you _know where the Rei is?" Michika nodded and the bokken was lowered. "Good. Next question: is she currently working with the Nentou?"

"If I can ke-"

"Tsk, tsk," Kaoru interrupted her, waggling a finger. Yahiko snickered in the background. "Yes or no, Michika-san."

Michika frowned. "No."

Kaoru tapped her bokken against her shoulder. "From everything we've heard, the Shibun sounded quite dangerous. However, of the two we've seen, you seem more like a joke." At this, Michika's eye twitched. "So, I suppose the question is... are you two simply putting on an act?" Michika blinked a moment, then arching an eyebrow, crossed her arms, apparently refusing to comment. This reaction only gave the answer away, of course, making Kaoru smirk. "Well, that leads us to the next couple of questions. Is the Rei stronger than sleeping beauty over there?" Kaoru asked, inclining her head in Natsuo's direction.

"Of course, she is," Michika huffed. "That moron left the Shibun long before completing his training."

Kaoru arched an inquisitive eyebrow, but decided against asking the obvious question. That would require an explanation and Michika would more than likely just give her more half-truths. It was better to simply move on. "Is the Rei stronger than you?" Michika nodded, if somewhat reluctantly. So the two known Shibun were stronger than they appeared and the Rei was stronger than them. Since, their little family was already involved, that meant Kenshin would probably end up fighting again. In which case, it was best to know what lay ahead. "Could she be a match for Kenshin?"

Michika relaxed her arms, allowing them to drop into her lap as she studied Kaoru a moment. After a moment, she cast her eyes down to the floor, mumbling something unintelligible. Looking back up, her expression took on a more serious hue. "Honestly, I don't know..." Her brow furrowed as she ordered her thoughts. "I haven't seen Kenshin-san fight before, but I think that two years ago, they _might_ have been on equal footing."

Admittedly, there was no real way for Michika to judge without seeing Kenshin fight and she seriously doubted he'd put himself on display simply because they asked. Still, even the idea that this Rei might have been a match for him was upsetting. Michika did say two years ago, though. Did that mean that something had changed? "And now?"

Michika shook her head. "According to the report I got on her last month, she hasn't picked up a sword in her two years away from the Shibun, so I can't be sure. I would like to say no, though. After all, a person's skill would decline without use, correct? However, Rei was always good at fighting even if she hated it. It was... natural to her."

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Japanese Words

Souken no Shibun: The Four Parts of Creation

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A/N: *bows* I know it's been about a week since the last update and I'm sorry about that. The family emergency has died down to a yellow alert. *nods* And started I trying to write this chapter three days ago... but I had writer's block. I've never had that before... it was strange and horribly annoying. I choose to believe the writer's block came into existence due to my lack of chocolate intake. *tears up* Until today I hadn't had chocolate of any sort for almost a week... *smiles* But today I ate oreos and had a sundae with a brownie. *nods happily* It was yummy! But since things are mellowing out again... *puffs her chest* I shall do my best to get back on track!

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To Starvoicereason: *smiles* I'm glad you were there to read that last chappie. *nods a lot* *droops* I'm sleepy now... must finish this one...

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To cymberleah: *nods* Yes... and as per usual, things like to stretch themselves out. Saito was supposed to be gone this chapter, but... well, he's not. *shrugs* Eh. More Saito is always good, ne? (More Saito is always AWESOME. -beta chick)

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To MaraJadeBlu: *cheers* I got to see it! Spiderman, I mean. And I thought it was great, too. Although, I'm glad I didn't go on the premiere night... If the Spidey fans are anything like the Star Wars fans, I would've been shredded. My friend threatened a small child in the middle of the movie, I commented that at some point it looked like Spidey was wearing rose colored lipstick, and then my sister and I went into a laughing fit over "Don't tell Harry." *sweatdrops* Got me as to why... *cheers* Yay! No dying!

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To Markus 'Scarre' Goding: *mocks an insulted look* Me, fade? Never! I shall either never be or go out with a big bang! I, the Great Jade of Anime, once saved an entire legion of role players from a marauding Vash doll! *strikes a pose* Anyways...*smiles* Thanks for your concern. Things are doing better around here, so the updates should get back to normal. As for the other stuff... *sweatdrops* I'd reinstall Word or Windows if I could... *sighs* However, after many hours of searching, I still can't seem to find the box that contains those discs... Oh, the many horrors of moving... *nods sadly* *smiles* But, I'm working on it. *glomps you* And thank you for reviewing!

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To SMDSP: *latches onto your leg* You're alive!! *sniffles* I thought the evil mushroom midgets had done away with you. *eyes twinkle* And you reviewed on every chapter, rather then grouping them together in one... *smiles gleefully* I'm glad you liked them, though. Really. Gives me a warm, gooey feeling to know people are fond of the story. *nods happily*

Yes, this was nice and beta read by Author Lady! *sniffles* Thank you for putting up with my typos, cymberleah.


	20. Speculation

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Disclaimer: Nuu!! Someone let Watsuki out of my closet! *whines* Now I'll never own it...

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Warning: Yahiko speaks once again! Kya ha ha! *eyes get shifty* Uhh, yeah...

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Souken no Shibun

Speculation

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Misty eyes narrowed, anger flaring within their gray depths. _I see. So that's how it is..._

"I'm assuming you've figured it out, too."

Kyouki cast a sidelong glance at the child that had seated himself next to her. She nodded and returned to what had originally caught her attention. Snaking her hand out, she snatched her commandeered chopsticks from Kaoru's belt without the girl's notice. She turned them over and back, checking for even the tiniest scratch on their wooden surface. Finding none, she shoved them back into one of her sleeve pockets. "That idiot, Michika, made it rather obvious. I'd be surprised if anyone here didn't know."

The sides of Yahiko's mouth twitched up into a smile and he jerked a thumb in her keeper's direction. "I don't know about that. I wouldn't put it past Kenshin. The man can be surprisingly slow sometimes." Yahiko and Kyouki shared a conspiratorial chuckle. The two were as ignored now as the others had been by Kyouki just minutes before.

Surveying the room, her brow furrowed in thought. "I'm sure both Kaoru and Kenshin will figure it out soon enough, if they haven't already. But..." her voice drifted into silence. She was disturbed by the thought that had presented itself. Frowning, her mind quickly worked through other possibilities, but found none of them to be plausible.

"But?"

She locked gazes with the boy. "Saito-san... he was here even before he knew either Michika or this Natsuo were. Given the evidence, it would lead one to believe he was here for me..." They both glanced in the said man's direction and found him quietly watching them. "He already knew." Neither she nor Yahiko could seem to drag their gazes away from the cop as they considered this. They spoke in hushed tones, almost as if they were afraid the man would hear.

"Maybe he was came for the information he couldn't get from the Karada," Yahiko offered quietly.

Kyouki shook her head. "I don't know... I'd think that if he found out who I was, then he would have also been informed of my memory loss."

Yahiko scrunched up his nose in a rather cute manner as he gave serious thought to the idea. "_If_ he knows about it, then while he may be here for you, it's not for that exact reason. What else could there be?"

"He _is _a cop," Kyouki pointed out. Once could almost forget about that when looking upon Saito's dark visage. "Maybe he's here to talk to me about the guy that attacked me last night." She turned away from those piercing amber eyes and focused on the child next to her.

Yahiko snorted in disbelief. "Yeah, right. And I'm a drugged monkey doing kabuki."

Kyouki blinked at him a moment, trying to figure out where in the hell the child had come up with that line. _Although,_ she thought, trying to imagine it, _it does paint a rather interesting picture._

Yahiko crossed his arms, looking terribly annoyed. "If anything, the asshole's probably here to arrest you for being the Rei." That was exactly what Kyouki had been afraid of. It was the most reasonable explanation for the man's presence, after all. "He probably does hope to get _some_ kind of useful information out of you while he's got you, I'm sure."

Kyouki rolled her eyes. "If he wants to know the exact brush strokes needed to paint a raging river, I'd be the person to talk to. I really don't remember any of this Shibun business, though. What I know I found out on my own through other people." She began rubbing at a spot on her hakama, listening to the sounds of Kaoru and Michika bickering.

"It's getting late..."

Kyouki stomach growled and she sighed. "I'm getting hungry," she stated rather eloquently. Giving up on the spot, she regarded Yahiko once more. "Maybe we should just go ahead and tell them rather than letting them figure it out on their own. Maybe then we can get fed..." Yahiko made a noise of agreement.

A few attempts later and Kyouki was almost ready to raid the kitchen. An idea struck her as she looked at Yahiko, though. Weren't people supposed to be protective of children? "Hey, me and Yahiko are going out to get drunk!" No reaction. She sighed.

A tap on her shoulder brought her attention back to the boy. He was grinning, a slightly evil glint flashing in his brown eyes. "Now, now. If you're going to try something like that, you have to pick their weak points." She watched him as he took a deep breath and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Kenshin's doing a striptease!"

Kyouki watched as both Kaoru and Michika silently whipped their heads in the redhead's direction. Kenshin blinked a moment, taking a second to register just what had been said. It obviously sank in as the girls stared at him expectantly and he blushed as red as his hair. Kyouki couldn't help but snicker at the scene and out of the corner of her eye, caught Saito sporting a rather amused look as well. "Smart, kid."

Yahiko's grin only widened. "I know."

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Japanese Words

Souken no Shibun: The Four Parts of Creation

Kabuki: a type of Japanese play

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A/N: Look! AnOtHeR cHaPpIe!! *rubs eyes* Alrighty, back to sleep now...

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To cymberleah: *looks over random button* Hm, it would appear Topo's been here... *smiles* And I'm glad everything getting back to normal as well. *sniffles* Katty spilled my Big Red all over my desk...

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To beege: I've got the ficcie to beta... I'm about halfway through it. I'd have been farther except that because Word's being a pain, the compy decided it didn't want to open the document. I got around it though. *grins* *waves a hand* I'm working on fixing the compy problem, but it still going to be a while. *eyes twinkle* I must warn you though... I immediately lost all objectivity when I saw Kaoru's name. *smiles cutely* *yawns* Like I said in the email, I'll send you one when I'm done... it should be somewhere before or around mid-afternoon my time... *looks at clock that says she should still be in bed* I'm gonna go take a nap. *nods*

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To SMDSP: Ack... nuuu! No crying... *tears* My empathy won't allow for it. If you cry, I'll cry. *shakes her head* Anyways, I'm glad you liked. I was worried I was going to screw up because it had been a week since I wrote anything. *sighs* And I shall continue to worry for the next couple of chapters... Hard to believe there are people that short. *nods sagely* You should have seen it the day I finally found someone around my age that was... I jumped on them and babbled happy, senseless things. This person ended up being the over-friendly type and jumped right back... I made a run for it. *grins* Out of town, huh? *pouts* I wanna go out of town for days... Well, ok, technically I want to leave the country. However, there's no way I'm ever visiting Japan without a responsible adult along. Otherwise, I'll be lost forever. *cries* It's not my fault I have no sense of direction... *sighs* Maybe that's part of what contribute to my always getting Sano on RK personality tests... well, that and the jumping into fights to protect people only to have my ass kicked. I do that too. *pouts* Course, I only lose cause I'm not exactly physically strong... *blinks* I'm rambling again. *nods* Sleep is a good thing... I should do that.

At this time, this has not been pre-read, but I'm sure Author Lady will be online any time now...


	21. Adjudication

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Disclaimer: *makes a carbon copy of her last disclaimer and posts it* Nuu!! Someone let Watsuki out of my closet! *whines* Now I'll never own it...

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Warning: Does anyone else remember the mysterious thief mentioned in chapter 15? *sweatdrops*

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Souken no Shibun

Adjudication

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After a few minutes spent recollecting themselves, Kyouki revealed that she was the Rei to those that did not know. Yahiko spent this same few minutes making whispered remarks to Kyouki, though no one could make out what he was saying. Whatever it was, she thought it funny enough to stop lecturing Michika and the others in order to giggle.

There were a variety of reactions to the information given, no two alike. Kenshin's hair hid his face from view, but to the others, his posture told them he was lost in thought. Kaoru kept circling Kyouki, like she'd never seen the girl before. Yahiko mumbled something about stupid adults and yawned. Michika kept glaring at Natsuo who had attached himself to Kyouki. He was babbling things about happiness and family. Kyouki herself ignored the others, silently staring at Saito. He stared back.

"Time to go," he informed her, his voice cutting through the silence. Well... what would have been silence if Natsuo would've shut up for half a second. Still, the short, simple phrase was enough to get everyone's attention. As wisps of smoke curled around his motionless form, Saito remained unaffected by the six pairs of eyes that instantly narrowed at him.

Kyouki's face fixed itself into an expression lacking any alacrity. She wasn't about to allow herself to be taken into custody for things she couldn't remember doing. Not to mention, being an amnesiac, he could pin just about any passing crime on her and there'd be no way for her to disprove his claims. Besides, a female in jail was just asking for trouble.

Watching the near silent exchange, one could almost see the aura of annoyance building around Saito. Several emotions were running rampant across Kyouki's face and each one only seemed to further incite the Wolf's irritation. The shadows that chased themselves across her expression were easily readable to him. Most men would be tearing her to shreds for such insults upon their person. He was not most men, however. The affront to his honor would not go unpunished, but now was not the time. Saito had a job to do and unless the girl's freedom presented some promising opportunity, he intended to do it.

"What business do you have throwing her in jail, Saito-san?" Michika questioned angrily. She was already in the process of standing when his amber eyes fell on her, draining some of her resolve. Nevertheless, she forged ahead, if somewhat nervously. "She has no memory of the Shibun! In fact, Kyo-chan's been living the last two years of her life as a recluse. She's barely _seen_ anyone, let alone _hurt_ them."

"Yes and no," Saito calmly replied. He turned to Kenshin's violet glare, chucking yet another finished cigarette out the nearby door. "Do you recall that case you worked on about a month ago?"

Kenshin arched a curious eyebrow, thrown by the sudden change in subject. "Yes," he answered slowly. He'd been reminded of that case just last night by Tae. The police had been unable to apprehend the thief responsible for several robberies throughout the area. However, as they had become more alert to the burglaries, the police had been able to get to the crime scenes sooner. A few times they had responded so quickly, that it appeared they were only moments behind the thief. Still, they could never seem to get there in time to even catch a glimpse of the thief, let alone stop them. The only clue they had was the perfectly written kanji that always appeared on the floor just as one entered the house.

The kanji themselves weren't large, which is why they had almost gone unnoticed. One of the wealthier victims' maid had spotted the first one when she was cleaning. After doing some re-checking, the symbols were in all the houses hit and always in the same place.

It was a calling card of sorts. Usually, criminals who left them wanted either the infamy or to be found. There were three kanji and one, only one, would always be left behind. From this, it was assumed that this practice symbolized either one thief or one victim, though they couldn't be sure. When the kanji themselves were put together, they roughly translated as 'toki no tsuki no youma' or 'time of the moon's ghost'. Nobody was quite sure what to make of it, although a few speculated that perhaps it meant something to do with the sun or daylight.

The police had called on Kenshin during their investigations, promising him compensation for his time. With Kaoru's birthday coming up and him broke, there was no way he could refuse the job. However, there hadn't been too terribly much for him to do. They led him around the sites, allowing him to observe and investigate on his own. He'd manage come up with a few details: whoever they were looking for was of average height or shorter, was lightweight, and knew exactly what they were doing. Kenshin hadn't sensed any negative feelings, but it was obvious that the thief had carefully selected their victims. The thief knew how to get in, when to do it, and where the items they wanted were stashed.

With what information they had, the police attempted to set up an ambush. They decided on the next likely target, a wealthy merchant who readily agreed to help when he thought his money was in danger. Something hadn't seemed right about their theory on the thief's victims, but since Kenshin didn't have any better ideas, he went along with it. And strangely, they did manage to catch _a_ thief that night. He knew now though that it wasn't the one they had been chasing.

The kanji were the key to cracking the case. _Time of the moon's ghost..._ Kenshin's mind once again came to a screeching halt, although this time, he wasn't happy with why. "Ghost..." He eyes widened slightly as the possibility struck. Snapping his violet gaze up to Saito's amber one, he was met with a nod of affirmation.

"And what's another word for ghost?" Saito asked, the question a bit on the rhetorical side.

He slowly turned his head until violet eyes gone hard met with a pair of confused gray ones. "Spirit... Rei." Kyouki eyes widened in innocent shock, but she couldn't seem to come up with words to defend herself. "Hisakata can also be translated as moon..."

Kyouki frowned. "Why do I not like where this is going?"

By now, the others had caught on as well and were all staring at Kyouki as Kenshin continued. "Because Kyouki's lost her memories, Rei is dead, in a sense. So the Rei could be considered as Kyouki's ghost..."

"I-I don't understand..." Kyouki stuttered nervously, shaking her head.

"It's quite simple really," Saito explained, staring directly at her. "A month ago, there were a rash of robberies and recently, murders. Considering the evidence..." he trailed off, obviously striving for a dramatic effect and succeeding.

Kyouki narrowed her eyes, already sure of his meaning, but she still felt compelled to ask. "This means what?"

"That you are the most likely suspect."

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Japanese Words

Souken no Shibun: The Four Parts of Creation

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A/N: I told myself I was going to write two chapters today... and couldn't seem to make myself do it. *sighs*

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To cymberleah: No, I didn't. I expected people were going to tell me not to quit my day job and refuse to read. And whaddya mean with the smartass comment?! *glares* You're so mean... thhbb! *chuckles*

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To MaraJadeblu: I think just about everyone would like to see Kenshin do a striptease... *looks over at SMDSP scrubbing her eyes* Just about. *smiles* Besides, if I did that, the rating would have to change on this, now wouldn't it?

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To SMDSP: *pats your shoulder* Ah, I see. So they were not 'nice' trips. I shall feel... umm... something akin to pity for you. *nods happily*

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To Colleen: I like making things obvious... I liked the kanji too. *grins*

Ok, all typed and ready for the wonderful Author Lady to beta.. now sending... *smiles*


	22. Indecision

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Disclaimer: *tacking up a missing persons poster* If anyone sees Watsuki, call me. I still have to tortu- I mean we still have to discuss the ownership of RK. *nods innocently*

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Warning: *singing* It's 4am and the toilet goes swish-swash, wish-wash... *goes into a giggling fit* *then blinks* Oh... and I suppose I should add 'shonen-ai' type implications with Natsuo, although I didn't really go into it. Nor do I intend to right now, if at all. *nods, nods*

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Souken no Shibun

Indecision

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"And when did these crimes take place, if I may ask?" Michika asked.

As Kyouki had fallen into silence, Michika had taken up defending her. Natsuo, who had seemed so happy just a moment before, now sat listening impassively. Nothing gave away the thoughts that were likely storming behind his blank mask. Again Michika and Natsuo were being hit with the dilemma of how to handle the situation. Thievery was one thing, but...

What if Kyouki had committed those murders?

Although Natsuo had been happy to see his older sister alive and well, he was still worried. Michika had seen to it that Kyouki remembered nothing of her past life and steered the girl in a direction that would keep her from finding out. Painting seemed like a decent alternative to being an assassin. However, Natsuo was upset that Michika had not sent Kyouki farther off than the woods between Tokyo and Urawa.

And now, just as with Masatake, Natsuo was hard-pressed to make a decision. The difference, of course, was that he actually liked this family member. Michika had said she'd put restraints on Kyouki so she wouldn't even consider killing an option, no matter what situation she was placed in. This was why he allowed himself to overlook Kyouki's past crimes as the Rei. If Kyouki was the murderer, what would he do? Handing her over to the cop was unacceptable. Could he really kill her though?

Michika, too, pondered the possibility of Kyouki's guilt. Yes, she had put blocks within Kyouki to keep her from killing, but nothing lasts forever. And in order to put in new blocks, she'd have to destroy the old ones. Two years ago, when she'd planned this, everything seemed like it would work out. She'd use a foreign technique known as hypnotism to wipe Kyouki's mind, placing restraints on any 'urges' Kyouki might have to return to her old life. Knowing those walls would crumbles as the years passed, she set a specific day for them to fall apart three years later. By that time, she would be with Kyouki and have put her 'under' again.

It seemed fate was a cruel mistress, indeed. Not only had Kyouki retained some desire to learn of the Shibun, but the walls Michika had placed within her were disappearing faster than expected. It was probably due to Kyou's desire to learn about the Shibun... although, technically, Michika had blocked that one. Perhaps there was some remaining need to protect the Nentou that was the culprit. Either way, she would be forced to do something else to this Saito and maybe Kyouki herself.

"The robberies took place a little over a month ago and the murders within the past few weeks." Saito's answer to Michika's question cut through both siblings thoughts.

"Well, why don't we begin with the robberies..." He glanced at Michika a moment, before turning his attention to Saito. "Give us a general idea of what was stolen."

Saito grimaced minutely at the request, but complied. "About two months ago, a nearby museum discovered that one of their exhibits, a set of Japanese swords, had been broken into. One of the cleaning staff decided to actually pull the sword from it's saya and found the blade to be a replica. Upon further inspection, the jewels embedded in the hilt were also turned out to be fake. All these things were real when the set was given to the museum three years ago. When the report was taken, they found the ghost kanji carved upon the blade."

"And when was the last time they checked on the sword?"

"The sword hadn't been pulled from it's sheath in almost a year's time."

"Were they ceremonial swords?"

"Yes."

Natsuo sighed. "Which would mean they would've been shiny, especially with those jewels..." Saito grimaced at the other's choice of terminology, but nodded just the same. "And Kyou-chan does have an affinity with shiny things..." His forehead creased as he took on a slightly defeated expression. "What else?"

"Some money, some jewelry, and a few sets of foreign silverware." Saito frowned slightly. "I suppose the connection could be that they were all... 'shiny' as you so eloquently put it."

Michika glared accusingly at Kyouki. "Do you know where any of that stuff is, Kyou-chan?"

Kyouki stared down at the floor, confusion and guilt clearly written on her face. "Umm... well, I did find these pretty swords out in the woods a few months back after one of my episodes..." She continued stare at the floor as if her life depended on it.

"Episodes?" Michika asked, arching an eyebrow.

Kyouki looked up at her, nodding. "Yes. At least, that's what I've taken to calling them anyways. I started having blackouts about half a year ago... but since they didn't happen very often, I didn't think much of them. They've been getting worse, though." Kyouki looked around the room in an effort to ease her nervousness. "Back in the dojo... with Kaoru... I had one."

"Shit."

"Perhaps, it is best that she stays here for the time being, de gozaru." Everyone once again turned their attention the rurouni. "From what sessha has seen, Kyouki-dono's 'episodes' are triggered by moments when she feels distressed. So putting her jail might overly stress her, de gozaru yo. Besides," Kenshin raised his eyes to Saito, violet eyes challenging. "I won't allow her to be taken from this dojo while she's still injured."

The three newcomers looked around in confusion at the tension that suddenly filled the air with the redhead's use of less formal speech. Natsuo leaned in closer to Michika and nudged her. "You'd think him being a little less polite would be a good thing."

Michika shrugged. "Maybe Dog-boy's going to do a trick."

Natsuo grinned. "Maybe Girlie's going to do that striptease the kid mentioned..."

Michika frowned at him. "You're such a pervert."

Natsuo struck a dramatic pose. "And so you've seen me in my crowning glory. Bask in the warmth that is my righteous light and know that I am perfection!"

Michika groaned. "You just wanna see Dog-boy drop his pants."

Natsuo scoffed at her remark. "Only because I want to see if he has what it takes to be a real _man_. Personally, I think Girlie's a little too pretty..."

Kyouki's annoyed voice interrupted their exchange. "Could you two at least show a little respect?! The _man _does have a name." Michika and Natsuo blinked at her a moment, then looked at each other. They shrugged and smiled back at her.

"We like ours better," they replied in unison.

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Japanese Words

Souken no Shibun: The Four Parts of Creation

Saya: sheathe

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A/N: Although my fingers and head kept telling me to draw instead, I still managed to type the chappie... *yawns* Me go sleepy and send this to Author Lady in the morning. *nods sleepily*

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To cymberleah: I only have more chappies because you're able to compact yours. *nods* As for Sano... he should actually be coming up here pretty soon. In fact, he should b- oh wait... that's giving away storyline. *grins*

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To SMDSP: Yes, they are getting worse. Mm, but things will lighten up on her a bit soon... I hope. *glares at her traitorous fingers*

I don't know when this will be beta read... as I am sleeping while this is sent to Author Lady. But I'm am sure she'll do a fine job... and not 'correct' my messages anymore, ne cymberleah? *grins* After all, I have only the utmost respect for you, no matter how much I may tease. *smiles*


	23. Separating

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Disclaimer: *doing a telethon* If you see Watsuki Nobushiro, call this number now: 1-800-FOUND-RK *smiles* You will be rewarded generously.

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Warning: Ack... typo. Stupid '1'. I meant chapter 5 - Food with a Side Order of Gossip. Not that it matters now... *sighs*

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Souken no Shibun

Separating

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"Well, it seems like this is about as far as this meeting of minds is going to go." Natsuo stood, brushing imagined dirt from his pants. "If you'll excuse me, I think I better head to bed." Turning from the group, he began walking towards the bedrooms.

Kaoru's eyebrow twitched madly as she stood, once again brandishing her bokken. "And just where do you think you're going?"

Natsuo looked over his shoulder at her, a palpable expression upon his face. "You don't expect me to sleep outside, do you?" His eyes widened in fear as he watched Kaoru quickly switch her grips on the wooden sword. It came hurtling at him like a javelin and he quickly ducked, although not quite quickly enough, as the flying object still managed to catch a few hairs on its way past. He turned and stared at the bokken dumbly, images of what would have happened had he not moved quite so fast running through his head.

Michika rolled her eyes and threw her money pouch, hitting him in the back of the head. "Go get us some rooms at the nearest inn, you damn freeloader."

Natsuo picked the money up from where it had fallen, looking forlorn and sniffling. "But..." He glanced in Kyouki's direction for a moment before turning back to Michika with pathetic tears in his eyes.

The older woman growled. "Absolutely not. Our presence here would only bring more trouble and you know it." She gestured towards the door leading outside. "Now go. I'll be there in a few hours to check up on you. And before you ask, yes you can order up dinner." She sighed. "Just don't go overboard. I've already had to deal with one bum this month." Natsuo squealed like a little kid and disappeared out the door without even saying goodbye.

Michika sighed and turned her attention to Saito. "As for you, _Officer Fujita_, I'll go with you in Kyouki's place for now as I believe we have a few things to discuss."

Saito pulled himself from the staring contest he and Kenshin had entered into and arched an eyebrow at the woman's boldness. "Ahou." It was his only response as he stood a moment later, obviously accepting the deal, and made for the door himself. Michika could already tell there were plans in the making within that one's mind, but she would deal with them when she had to.

She looked back to find all eyes on her, waiting. It was uncomfortable, but for a reason she couldn't seem to fathom. Shaking herself mentally, she smiled. "I appreciate your assistance, Do-... Kenshin-san. I'm afraid there wasn't any way I was going to let that man take my sister. And thank you for offering to continue caring for her." Michika bowed her head slightly, the most showing of respect she'd given Kenshin since her appearance. She waved her goodbyes and quietly followed after Saito, leaving the remaining four in silence.

Kyouki stared at the floor, knowing she was partially to blame for the uncomfortable silence. Kaoru was still standing where she last had, looking lost as to what to do now. Yahiko fidgeted where he sat next to Kyouki, wanting out of the room, but not willing to break the silence either. Kenshin himself was staring out at the retreating forms of Saito and Michika, looking lost in thought again, as he had so often been during the discussion.

Another minute passed, seeming like an eternity, and still no one moved. Loathe to disturb the hush that had fallen, but knowing she must, Kyouki cleared her throat. "I'm sorry..." she started. She knew they were listening, even Kenshin who still kept his gaze to the door. "I only came here to warn you about all this and ended up just making it worse," she continued, regret coloring her tone as she hung her head.

"It's not your fault, Kyouki-dono." She peered through her long bangs at the redhead now facing her. "We were already targets, after all. I'm sure no one here minds the extra company, de gozaru." A glimpse at the other two residents showed them nodding their agreement with the statement. Kyouki lifted her head and smiled gratefully.

"All this talking's made me hungry," Yahiko grunted, patting his stomach. "I didn't get to eat anything at the Akabeko so I'm running on empty here."

Kaoru crossed her arms as she glared down at the boy. "You're sounding more like Sano everyday."

Yahiko's mouth dropped open, his expression more than a little indignant. "You take that back!"

Kaoru grinned maliciously. "Make me, Yahiko-CHAN."

Yahiko stared at her moment before suddenly smirking. "A flat-chested busu like you's not worth the effort." He stood and raced further into the house, Kaoru close on his heels. The sound of them careening through the halls was punctuated by more than a few crashes.

Kyouki returned her focus to her keeper when he sighed contentedly. "I think I can understand the sentiment," she murmured, chuckling. The sound of something tearing at the other end of the house drew her attention back to the door, expecting to see the two rampage past at any moment. She hadn't waited too long before she was rewarded, seeing them fly by the opening, Yahiko still managing to dodge Kaoru's angry swings.

Feeling someone patting her head, she looked up to see Kenshin standing over her, smiling down comfortingly. "If you need someone to talk to..." She nodded and they both continued watching the door, the squabbling pairs' footsteps once again approaching. There was a cracking sound, heralding the end of the chase. Kenshin smiled blithely. "Sounds like it's time for some damage control. Besides, sessha still has to make dinner, de gozaru yo."

He headed for the door at an unhurried pace, his shoulders relaxed and his aura lighthearted. If she didn't know about the company he kept, she'd wonder how he stayed so seemingly carefree in the face of such threats. She'd witnessed these people firsthand though and knew of the peaceful feeling that resided here. Kenshin was a very lucky man to have found himself such a wonderful home with this loving, if somewhat odd, little family. Although, it wasn't quite something she wished for, she could still appreciate it and could only hope she was as fortunate as he in finding her life's desire. If these supposed memories returned, she might need the stability such peace would bring...

__

No use in worrying about it right now, though, she chided herself before her thoughts could turn depressing. The floor creaked as she stood, making her grimace slightly as she stared down at the offending wood. _Hard to believe I could have even been considered a match for the legendary Hitokiri Battousai._ Feeling eyes on her, she looked up to find Kenshin had paused at the door and was watching her, that calculating look she'd witnessed at the Akabeko shadowing his eyes once again. She stared back at him, a sense of foreboding niggling at the back of her mind.

Before she could examine the cause, he smiled brightly, dispelling the feeling entirely. "Care to help with dinner? Sessha is sure both Yahiko and Kaoru-dono would greatly enjoy eating your cooking once again, de gozaru yo."

She blinked at him a moment, mulling over her choices. Help with dinner, tend the brat who was surely injured, or sit around idly wasting her time... She shrugged and returned his smile warmly. "Sure. Why not?" It's not like she had anything better to do...

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Japanese Words

(I'm giving up on this next chapter unless specifically asked not to... otherwise, I'll only put this here when a new word pops up)

Souken no Shibun: The Four Parts of Creation

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A/N: *whines* I have such horrible luck... My power went out yesterday afternoon cause of a storm... came back on this morning, but the internet didn't come back on until noon. Oh, and I'm going to see about compressing the chapters tomorrow before I post. So for tomorrow's chappie, if you want to review, you might have to sign out first. *nods*

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To Cymberleah: Yep, poor Kyouki. But that's ok. She'll survive... my ending says so. *sighs* Now I just have to get there...

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To beege: Of course!! That's a given! After all, I did make it rather clear that these people only know Kenshin by reputation. *blinks* At least, I think I did... Maybe I doing that thing again... where I try to be obvious, but I'm not... and then when I'm not, I am... *sighs* I'm confusing myself again. *smiles* But there is actually a reason that Michika thought Rei might have been able to take him... *smiles* It'll all be in here eventually.

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To MaraJadeblu: *sweatdrops at MJ's review* Umm... *blinks, noticing the sweatdrop* Wow... you made me want to sweatdrop. *gives you a thumbs up* Go, Mara! And actually, I did know when her birthday was. I looked it up so I wouldn't look stupid. In fact... *looks up at chappie* it is Kaoru's birthday. That was part of the reason she was torturing Kenshin so badly at the beginning of this day... they've been sidetracked from the festivities by the goings on, but don't worry. *flashes a victory sign* We'll get some KxK sap up in here before her birthday's over. *smiles*

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To SMDSP: *chuckles* I'm assuming you liked the last chapter... *smiles* As for Kyouki, things should lighten up a little bit in upcoming chapters. And I warn you, KxK sap is coming... but Kaoru will take a more prominent position in the fights to come than I've seen in the anime thus far, I can tell you that now. Feel better? *smiles hopefully*

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To Starvoicereason: *laughs* Poor Kenshin... *grins* But I do aim to please... just stay with me a while longer. *smiles*

Ok, I'm being poked... so I'm passing this off to be b- blargh... that thing that Author Lady does so often and so well after much poking and sighing. *grins* (and if the beta reader wasn't sick, and tired, and wanting to go to bed… she'd be more patient)


	24. Time of Change

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Disclaimer: *brandishing a megaphone* Watsuki-sama is still on the loose! If you see this RK creator, please return them to me. There will be a reward!

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Warning: Mostly for SMDSP... there is sap of the KxK variety in this chapter.

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Souken no Shibun

Time of Change

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"Kaoru-dono! Could you come to the kitchen for a moment, de gozaru ka?"

Kaoru looked up from her spot at the table at the sound of the rurouni's voice. First, he'd insisted that she sit here, doing nothing because it was her birthday. According to him, she deserved to 'relax'._ Relax, my ass. He just doesn't want me in the kitchen._ She pulled the small white package from her sleeve and stared at it. If she couldn't convince him to at least let her handle the tea, then Megumi's effort would have been for naught.

She stood, gripping the powdered drug tightly for a moment. _Now's my chance, though_. Snickering evilly to herself, she shoved the medicine back into her sleeve and plastered a sweet, innocent smile on her face. "Coming, Kenshin."

A quick, furtive glance up as she entered the kitchen told her Kenshin still wasn't aware of the missing knife, yet. Or at least, if he was, he simply hadn't found it. She'd have to do something about that after he went to bed.

Although not nearly as protective of the kitchen as he was of the laundry, the knife embedded in the ceiling would still have earned her one of Kenshin's subtle reprimands. Kaoru knew he was only warding her against harm with his words, but it still _felt_ like he was speaking to her as he would a child. She knew a knife wasn't a toy. She wasn't _that_ much younger than him. Besides... at least, when the knife went flying, it went _up_ rather than _at_ someone. He had to give her credit for that.

Noticing the room was empty except for him, she began looking for the other recent occupant. "Where's Kyouki?"

Kenshin gestured across the room to the other door, keeping his back to the counter, effectively hiding it from Kaoru's view. "Well, Kyouki-dono wanted to go sit out on the porch for a few minutes, do gozaru yo." His face darkened slightly. "She has a lot to take in. She seems to understand the situation, but sessha is not sure she has accepted it, yet, and it may take her some time to do so." Kaoru nodded, already knowing what he said to be truth. In fact, it was rather obvious right after the little meeting had ended. The girl's expression had been carefully neutral, but the silence that stagnated the air explained her feelings well enough.

Turning her attention back to the rurouni and away from such depressing thoughts, she noticed that he still hadn't moved from his position in front of the counter. "Was there something you wanted, Kenshin?"

He played with the edges of his sleeves nervously as he nodded. Another minute or two passed as she ever so patiently waited on the redhead to speak. "Um, well, everything's been so hectic today that sessha didn't get the chance to tell you Happy Birthday, Kaoru-dono." She nodded slowly. Between the morning torture and the afternoon spent assessing threats to their family, she could forgive him the oversight. But why the fidgeting? He was only wishing her a happy birthday.

Unless... Hm, a present or a confession of love? Probably a present. Considering last night's attempt, if it was a confession, he'd be running for hills any moment now. However, since he was still standing there playing with his gi, it definitely had to be a present. But what would Kenshin have gotten her? Several things came to mind, ranging from kimonos to hair pins to new roofing. Okay, so the roofing was a bit of a stretch, but one could still hope, right? She sighed, visions of gifts dancing before her eyes.

Kaoru was quickly brought back to reality though by the hand waving gently before her eyes. She blinked and Kenshin slowly dropped his hand back to his side. She smiled sheepishly at him and he chuckled. "Dinner's almost done... and I thought I'd let you do the honors of deciding upon the tea."

Kaoru arched a disbelieving eyebrow. **That** was why he called her in here? But what about the love confession? Her gifts? The roofing?! _Oh, hell no... he better come up with a better reason than that for calling me in here like this. Or else, people aren't going to be _mistaking_ him for a girl anymore..._

Almost as if sensing the impending castration, Kenshin quickly stepped. Revealed was a large, ornate tea chest sitting on the counter, beautifully intricate designs covering most of its surface. Well, she certainly hadn't been expecting that. Kenshin chuckled at the look of shock she felt creeping onto her features as she continued to stare at the box. He circled around Kaoru, heading for the door. "Sessha'll just leave you to your present. Kyouki needs to be checked on anyways."

He slipped quietly out, leaving Kaoru alone with the tea chest. Although obviously very expensive, a tea chest seemed like a rather unusual present. She padded over to it, her socked feet mere whispers across the floor as reached for the chest. Standing next to it, the thing seemed even larger. _When did he get this? And where in the world has he been hiding it this whole time?!_

Running a hand over it, her fingers met with glossy smoothness. Sliding her hands down its sides, she slowly lifted the top open, revealing the dozens of labeled tea bags inside and a small note written in 

Kenshin's flowing handwriting. Snatching it from the box, she commited every word to memory... for now, it was the closest she would get to what she truly wanted.

__

For a taste of things to come, it said simply.

Sifting through the bags, she found there was everything from the cheapest to the most expensive, but always in flavors she liked. There were even a few foreign looking ones among the group... Holding up one such bag, she squinted at the writing. She took a quick sniff of it and smiled, setting it back in the box. She'd definitely have to try the 'coffee'. Some other time, though.

She grabbed another bag instead and closed the box. Getting some water and putting it on to boil, she yanked the small white package from her sleeve. This would be her only chance to use it and make sure Kenshin was the only one that got any. Gathering the necessary dishes onto a tray, she set the powder down with them.

Poking her head out the door, she noticed no one was on the porch. _Wonder where everyone's gone off to this time..._ A loud whistle signaled that the tea was ready. After a moment, she shrugged to herself and turned to prepare, finding someone already in the process.

Kyouki was already pouring the last cup, much to Kaoru's horror. How was she supposed to d-... The package was gone. She glanced around, not seeing it anywhere. "Um, Kyouki-san? What happened to the white package I had on the tray?"

Kyouki blinked. "Huh?" She looked down at the tray. "Oh..." She smiled warmly. "Don't worry about it, Kaoru-san. I already put the sugar in for you." Kyouki peered over at the cooking and nodded to herself. "Seems the food's ready. I'll just go make sure the table's set." She ambled off in the direction of the dining room, leaving Kaoru to glare at her back side.

Staring at the steaming tea, Kaoru slapped her forehead and groaned. "This is _not_ good..."

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A/N: Haha! The Japanese words are missing! Anyways...

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To Cymberleah: Thhbbb!! I got to review first today! And I still intend to torture those that got ahead of me yesterday... *cackles evilly* *sighs sadly* Yes, Saito's leaving... but it's only temporary. *smiles*

Alrighty... pass off! Go Author Lady! (Author Lady takes the fic, falls back. Feints left, blocks right, passes back to Jade. Go girl!)


	25. Over Dinner

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Disclaimer: *stands at podium and clears her throat* Watsuki has been found. I repeat, Watsuki had been found. The information was relayed to us from a caller by the name of MaraJadeblu. Watsuki is once again locked in the closet. See fine print below for prize info.

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Warning: *glaring at her fingers* They're trying to add more characters without my permission...

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Souken no Shibun

Over Dinner

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Dinner passed rather quickly for the four. Kaoru was going on about the Kasshin style to Kyouki, Kenshin would mention this and that, Yahiko stirred up trouble with Kaoru, and Kyouki sat in rapt attention to the three. It didn't take long for them to finish eating so they just sat around the table continuing to talk and drinking their tea. Except for Kaoru, who discreetly poured her cup bit by bit into Yahiko and Kyouki's when no one was looking.

Megumi had shown up at some point to check in on Kyouki and was given a short explanation of what was going on. She was surprised, of course, considering that everyone seemed in such high spirits. Well, that and she didn't believe Kyouki would be able to take on Kenshin. If the baka neko was the best the Shibun had to offer, then there wasn't any cause for worry.

As could be imagined, this started a good half hour long argument between the two, much to the others' amusement. Eventually, it dwindled into a simple insult contest, fueled further by comments dropped by the three others present. At this point, Kyouki whipped out chopsticks and waved them threateningly, only earning her another insult from Megumi. She leapt forward to attack the good doctor but ended up falling flat on her face due to the fact that Kenshin had a tight grip on the edge of her hakama. So she finally settled for glaring at her opponent until Megumi's departure.

After a few minutes spent calming Kyouki down, the four discussed their plans for the next day. Since it was Yahiko's day off, Kaoru decided that she and Yahiko would be training the entire day on and off. Kenshin would, of course, be doing his usual chores. Kyouki shrugged when the question was put to her, stating that she'd probably just hang around watching the training. Saito would most likely be returning anyway, and if she wasn't there, he could accuse of her evading arrest. Besides, if he had come up with some kind of new information she'd probably need it in order to better inform the other people.

For this she received a few blank stares and after blinking dumbly in response, she remembered that she hadn't discussed the list with them yet. "Oh yeah..." She yanked the a piece of rice paper from her sleeve and held it up on display for a moment. "This was something I meant to talk to you about but that whole 'Rei' business sort of sidetracked me." She set the paper in her lap and leaned back on her hands. "For about a year now, I've been keeping track of the Nentou and the Souken's movements. His dealings were of the usual for his type: corrupt political figures, shady dealings, and taking part in an underground turf war."

Kyouki took a sip of her tea and continued. "Those were things that I certainly couldn't have handled by myself no matter how much I might have wanted to try. But when this came up," grabbing the list and leaning forward, she set in on the table, "I knew I could at least warn the people targeted."

Kenshin picked the crinkled rice paper up and quickly scanned over it, eyes narrowing. "A list of people to be assassinated," he stated rather than asked. Kyouki nodded anyways to confirm his words as he passed the paper onto Kaoru and Yahiko. Kaoru blinked at the proffered paper a moment before taking it gingerly, unsure of Kenshin's actions. However, he made no move to retract the list and she motioned Yahiko over to her side to look at it as well. Both pairs of eyes widened as they took in the names.

Yahiko snickered. "They actually did bother to think of you, busu..."

Kaoru frowned playfully and ruffled the kid's spiky hair. "Looks like the Tokyo Samurai's hit the big time as well. Are you ready for it, Yahiko-chan?"

Yahiko puffed his chest out. "You bet I am. I'm gonna kick all their asses."

Kaoru's smiled. "Good. Then you'd best be off to bed."

"What?!"

Kaoru waggled a finger at him. "You've already seen the list, Yahiko. Besides, think how many people we may have to fight. You're going to need all the energy you can get."

Yahiko's brow furrowed as he clenched his fist. "You've got a point... but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

Kaoru shrugged. "Doesn't matter if you like it, you're still going to do it." Yahiko simply huffed in reply and begrudgingly headed to bed. She turned a curious eye on Kyouki as soon as he was gone. "Since you don't even remember being a part of the Shibun, how did you manage to get this?"

Kyouki wrinkled her nose. "Well... I remembered a name, Nentou, and had this undeniable urge to find out everything I could about him. I didn't meet with much success at first," she smiled, "but then I came upon this rather helpful member of the Oniwabanshuu during one of my trips to town. We struck it off rather well and once she was sure I wasn't with the bad guys, she smuggled me what information she could about the Shibun."

Kenshin arched an almost disbelieving eyebrow. It was possible that one of the members might leak information... He wondered if Aoshi and Misao knew about this girl. Kaoru blinked. "The Oniwabanshuu?"

Kyouki nodded. "Yep. She was all fired up to kick my ass until she realized I wasn't going to do much of anything with the information she gave me. So we sat down to lunch. She told me about the Shibun and I told her about painting, Michika, and strangely enough, my amnesia." She shrugged. "She was rather spunky without being overly annoying like Michika. I only had one complaint and that was that she kept talking endlessly about this one guy. I swear, I never seen anyone so obsessive over a member of the opposite sex..." She sweatdropped. "But then, I only have two years experience."

Kaoru and Kenshin looked at each other a moment, then back at Kyouki. Kenshin smiled somewhat nervously at the younger girl. "Kyouki-dono, what did this girl look like, de gozaru ka?"

Kyouki looked between the two, feeling slightly uncomfortable and wondering why they were so curious. "Um, well... She had braided ebony hair, was kind of petite, and had the most beautiful green eyes I've ever seen." Her face took on an appreciative expression. "Definitely prettier than that Natsuo character's," she announced, nodding and holding a finger in the air dramatically.

Kaoru had to reach out and grab the edge of the table to keep herself from falling over from shock. Kenshin sweatdropped, keeping his rurouni smile in place. "This girl... her name wouldn't happen to be Makimachi Misao, would it, de gozaru ka?"

"As a matter of fact, it was. Do you know her?"

Kaoru and Kenshin simply sighed. Loudly.

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A/N: *whines* Already the thought of more characters is confusing me... and more chapters are going to get nice and compressed come tomorrow when I have time. And tomorrow's chappie should be extra long, too! Whee! And... I do mean long... *wrinkles her nose* That's if everything works out like it's supposed to.

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To Cymberleah: *snickers* Yep... you now know the torture I go through every chapter now. *cackles* *clears her throat* And I thought the tea thing was cool, too. I got the idea from this website... the box was so pretty... it had so much tea in it... if only I had the money. *sighs*

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To MaraJadeblu: *chuckles* I think the only person that likes Natsuo at this point is SMDSP. *smiles* But you got to have someone to hate on, right? Yes, the sweatdropping was from that one night... And I'm sorry my compression confused you. I didn't mean for it too. It's just that after a certain of chappies, the compy's going to go screwy... I found that one out trying to upload a chapter for Author Lady one time. So I'm taking precautions. (fine print: You're reward should you choose to accept it... a plushie of every major RK character. This note will self-destruct in 30 seconds... give or take.)

Kya ha ha ha!! I haven't been poked yet! Yay for me! *hands it to Author Lady* Here ya go, beta person!


	26. Possibilities

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Disclaimer: *is busy being hot but is sure everyone knows by now that she does not currently own RK*

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Warning: While I was sitting around planning the monster chapter, his one managed to wheedle its way in between it and the last one... *sighs* So the monster will be tomorrow.

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Souken no Shibun

Possibilities

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The Kyoto incident was summarized and told. Kyouki listened with the calm of a person who had never been in that type of situation and knew nothing of the pain such things brought. To her credit, she never flinched, even when Kaoru made mention of the wounds Kenshin received. She did glare darkly at Kenshin though. That protective sense she seemed to have developed for him since he saved her was radiating off her in waves, causing the poor man to cringe in fear.

Kaoru snickered, then waved the subject away. "Anyways, that was how we met Misao. We've kept in contact with her and the Oniwabanshuu since, and they've helped us out on occasion." Everyone seemed content to leave it at that.

Kyouki picked the list up from where it lay on the table and stared at it, trying to picture the people behind the names. "So... do you know any of these people? That's what I wanted to know in the first place. If you knew them, then you could so kindly point me in the right direction, saving me a hell of a lot of time."

Kenshin nodded. "As a matter of fact, we do know most of those names, de gozaru. Most would be able to more than protect themselves, too... Even so, sessha thinks it would be best to warn them."

Kaoru arched an eyebrow. "Even Hiko?"

Kenshin smiled uncomfortably. "Sessha thinks that perhaps it is best to just have Misao-dono send Shishou a note by carrier pigeon, de gozaru yo..."

Kyouki blinked. "Shishou?"

Kaoru nodded. "Hiko Seijuro is the man who raised Kenshin and taught him Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu."

Kyouki face broke out into a big grin. "Really...? I bet he's got some stories to tell." She snickered, looking over at Kenshin. "Maybe like... the first time Kenshin-san got drunk?" Both girls laughed as Kenshin nearly choked on his tea.

Kaoru chuckled. "I definitely think I'd like to hear that one... perhaps we could go visit him." Kenshin's face became stricken with horror as the two continued discussing their evil plans. After a few minutes, Kenshin quietly snuck off to the kitchen to do the dishes, much to the girls' amusement.

Returning the original topic, Kyouki decided to at least make a check of all the people they knew on the list that weren't already aware of the situation. "Shinomori Aoshi, Makimachi Misao, Saito Hajime," here she paused long enough to stick her tongue out at the paper, " Kenshin Himura, Sagara Sanosuke, Kamiya Kaoru, and Myoujin Yahiko... warned." She tapped her chin. "So that leave Seta Soujiro, Hiko Seijuro, Tsukioka Katsuhiro, Sawagejou Chou, and a couple of others."

Kaoru shook her head. "Chou works with Saito so he'd already know." She tapped the table with a finger, the sound of flesh connecting with the wood somewhat relaxing to her. "Katsu, Sano's friend, doesn't live too far from here so it shouldn't be a problem getting word to him. We've already made our plans for Hiko... As for Soujiro the Tenken..." She shrugged. "Nobody knows what happened to him after the Kyoto incident."

"Well, if he's on this list, then either he's suddenly become a rather loud peace activist or he's foiled more than one of the Nentou's plans. Either way, they're going to send someone after him." Kyouki stuffed the list back in her sleeve. "The Nentou does have a good idea of these people's strengths and will send a strong enough assassin after each of them, respectively. In fact, according to Misao, they had someone in their employ a few months back that could've taken on Kenshin easily. She didn't say that, of course, but I assumed it from the way she even avoided saying this man's name." Kyouki yawned. "I'm not terribly worried about that 'assassin', though. Nentou rarely keeps freelancers around for more than a month."

Kaoru looked a little unsettled at the revelation, but allowed herself to be reassured by Kyouki's lack of concern. However, she found the yawn rather contagious and found that she was rather tired. It was going to be hell trying to stay awake in her dark room long enough to retrieve that knife from the kitchen ceiling. "Well," she started, stretching a bit, "I'm think I'm going to head to bed." Kyouki nodded as Kaoru stood and waved goodnight.

With Kaoru gone, the room's very aura seem to change. As Kyouki sat there by herself, the walls suddenly seemed too confining and the environment a little lifeless. She knew she was imagining things, that it was her and not the room, but that did nothing to soothe the urge to bolt outside as quickly as she could.

Finding that her courage had deserted her, Kyouki soon found herself outside, perched on top of the roof. The air was cool and the stars bright, as a slight breeze played through her hair. She pulled her hair from its high ponytail and felt herself relaxing, letting the tension drain away.

Again came the familiar need to melt into the darkness. For a moment she was tempted, but taking a walk to who knows where in the middle of the night might worry those in the house below. She certainly didn't think the neighbors would appreciate such an uproar when they trying to sleep. Not to mention, 'he' was still out there, looking for her... and now she knew why. The thought that she had killed so many people was unsettling, but that the Nentou might force her into doing it again was more disturbing. Self-defense was one thing and even that was pushing it. As far Kyouki was concerned, killing was a last resort. The more she learned about her keeper, the more she respected Kenshin for refraining from doing it. Kaoru as well, for the girl taught a style based on the concept.

A phrase ghosted across her mind, the whisper leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. _Remain of the flowers_. A phrase pertaining to the innocence and beauty of people, so brightly colorful one day and a long forgotten memory the next. Who had said it to her and why, she couldn't remember. Trying only seemed to make her head hurt so she gave it up, deciding to let her mind go blank as she stared out at the stars.

"You're going to have to sleep, sometime, Kyouki-dono."

She cast Kenshin a veiled look before returning to the stars. "Don't."

Kenshin blinked as he sat down beside her. "Don't what, de gozaru ka?"

She sighed. "I have only two years worth of memories, but I know of the Hitokiri Battousai... and I've killed in cold blood, just as you have." Kenshin frowned, already preparing to say something before she cut him off. "It may not have been as many, but you were in the middle of a war. I, however, killed in a time of peace."

Kenshin shook his head. "Perhaps, but you don't remember any of that-"

Her head snapped around, her narrow eyes glaring at him from beneath the curtain of hair that settled over her face. "And that makes me any less guilty?" She rather reminded Kenshin of a caged animal at that moment, seemingly docile until they bit the hand that feeds. A person could only hope that showing enough kindness and understanding would tame the animal.

So Kenshin didn't respond, rather he looked up at the stars she had lost herself in. "All one can do is to make amends for what sins they have committed."

Her eyes softened, a shadow of defeat passing across them. "How can I when I can't even remember what they are?"

"Simply do what you can and continue living."

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Japanese Words

Shishou: Master

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A/N: While this may not have been the planned monster chapter, I promise it'll be worth the wait... I hope... well, it's really funny in my head. *eyes get shifty*

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To Cymberleah: Saito is coming... although... not exactly in the form you would expect... *looks over her blueprints again and cackles* I've had this planned almost since the beginning of the fic. As for more characters... although, they won't be in the actual storyline, those added charas will have speaking parts next chapter. How is it not part of the storyline? *shrugs* Eh...

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To SMDSP: Maybe I should put the fact that I'm condensing on the summary... so people will be less confused. *sweatdrops* The KxK moment wasn't bad in your eyes? Wow... I must have done something good. Damn, if I could only remember what it was and employ it elsewhere... *sighs* *smiles* I'm pretty sure my fingers are bringing in Misao and Aoshi... and the list (now with names!) allows me to bring in others should I wish. As to the powder... Kyouki added it to the tea thinking it was sugar. That's why Kaoru was so graciously 'giving' her tea away. As to what exactly the powder, you'll find out next chapter! *cackles at upcoming insanity and torture*

Alrighty... I hate to drag Author Lady from her jigsaw puzzles... but I'm going to do it anyways. *smiles*


	27. Of Dreams and Drugs...

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Disclaimer: If anyone reading this sues, needless to say... I'll be shocked. So will they when they find out I don't have a penny to my name, only debts.

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Warning: Ack... this was technically supposed to have been posted last night, but I got too sleepy to finish it. You are hereby warned: THIS IS NOT MY USUAL CHAPTER! In fact... it's probably 3 or more times that size. *smiles* Have fun.

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Souken no Shibun

Of Dreams and Drugs...

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After their chat, Kenshin had left Kyouki. It had only been a few minutes later that he heard her muffled steps passing his bedroom door. Satisfied that all was well with her, he began the short process of deciding where to sleep. Futon or sitting against wall? No offense meant to Kyouki, but perhaps it was best to be prepared considering there was an amnesiac ex-killer under their roof. Any number of things could happen, not all them concerning her directly. The Nentou's men could storm the house while they slept or Kaoru might have a bad dream... Who knew, but it was best to be ready for anything. So Kenshin seated himself against the wall as comfortably as he could and leaned his sakabatou against his shoulder.

As he allowed his eyes to drift shut, he heard Kaoru's shoji quietly slide open and her soft footsteps head for the kitchen. _She must be thirsty..._ Normally, he would get up and check on her at this point. However, a warm fuzzy feeling in his head convinced him otherwise. Soon his mind sank completely into unconsciousness, all but forgetting his blue-eyed goddess.

Meanwhile, Kaoru paused in her trek, realizing the lack of a redheaded rurouni tailing her. She grinned. _The powder must be working finally..._ She grinned evilly and decided to check on the others before yanking the knife from the kitchen ceiling. Megumi had mixed together sleeping powder and something she called 'hallucinogens'. Kaoru was sure the kitsune had mention a couple other medical terms, but she wasn't really familiar with any of them. Megumi did, however, say that the hallucinogens would make the user see things...

She could hear Kenshin's soft regulated breathing as she passed his door. Inching his shoji open, she peered into the darkness of his room. She almost jumped as she realized he was sitting right beside the door. Even with as quiet as she was being, the opening shoji would have alerted the man under normal circumstances, but with the medicine coursing through him, he slept on, undisturbed. A brief thought flickered across her mind that if something were to happen now, she'd be left alone to defend the dojo. However, citing that it would only give her more of a chance to prove herself to the overprotective rurouni, she squelched the worry out of existence.

She closed his door and continued down the hall. Passing Yahiko's door, she heard him mumbling something about saloons in his sleep. She chuckled quietly to herself and thought nothing more of it. As she came to Kyouki's door, there was utter silence. Frowning, she slid that shoji open as well. "Kyouki-san?" Inside the room was empty. The futon remained rolled away in the corner and there was no sign of the girl. "Must have fallen asleep on the roof." Kaoru sighed. "There's no way I could drag her down from there..." Shaking her head, she closed the shoji and shrugged. "Hope she doesn't fall."

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The fresh scent of the forest. The wind creating an ocean of sound within the treetops. The twitter of a small bird as it passed overhead. All were familiar things to Kenshin, but somehow, they suddenly seemed sweeter than usual. Opening his eyes, he found himself sitting against the rough bark of tall tree, the large roots hiding him from view of any passersby.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he stood and looked around, taking in his unfamiliar surroundings. The flora and fauna around him were decidedly of a type he'd never seen before in his life. This would normally be enough to alarm, but much like the Kamiya dojo, these woods radiated a sense of peace that calmed him. Stepping away from the tree, he began exploring the area, looking for anything familiar. After a few minutes, gave up and shook his head. "Where has sessha gotten to this time...?"

"The forest," a familiar voice answered him, the tone used not hinting at whether this was a good or bad thing.

Kenshin blinked and looked around, searching the trees. "Aoshi?"

"No," the emotionless voice replied. "I am the narrator."

Kenshin cocked an eyebrow, still looking for any sign of the former okashira. "But you sound like Aoshi, de gozaru yo..."

"I am the narrator."

"Right... Well, why is sessha in the middle of this forest?" Kenshin crossed his arms, waiting for Aoshi to explain what was going on.

"Your father, King Hiko, was promised endless amounts of sake if he would marry the sorceress, Megumi. So he did. However, Queen Megumi became jealous of you when her magic mirror proclaimed you the fairest in the land."

Kenshin's eye twitched as Aoshi continued. "Because you were prettier-"

"Sessha is not pretty, de gozaru!" Kenshin growled, stomping a foot. He could almost see Aoshi arch a graceful eyebrow before continuing, ignoring Kenshin's outburst.

"-than she, Queen Megumi chased you from your home. She is intent upon being the fairest, so she has sent a hunter to kill you."

Kenshin grumbled some insults at the younger man under his breath. "A little drastic, if you ask sessha... how did sessha even get into this, de gozaru ka?"

"Your tea was drugged," came the dull reply.

Kenshin sighed and hung his head. _I'm getting too old for this._ "Sessha thought it tasted a little funny. Question is: who did it, de gozaru ka?"

"I know only what you know," Aoshi answered cryptically.

Kenshin rolled his eyes. Just like Aoshi to give such a useless answer. "Well, could you at least tell sessha where he is supposed to be going, Aoshi?"

"I am the narrator."

Kenshin clenched his hands into fist. "Yes, sessha thinks we've covered that already."

"I can only provide commentary for current and past events," Aoshi explained, a slight edge of annoyance to his tone.

Kenshin blinked. "Oh." Kenshin stared into the trees again. "Do you have to be a disembodied voice, de gozaru ka? It's a little creepy."

"I am the narrator."

Kenshin grit his teeth, the repeated phrase getting on his nerves. "I'll take that as a yes."

Looking around, he started walking in whatever random direction struck his fancy. The underbrush soon became quite hard to trudge though, making Kenshin wonder if he should have taken another direction. "Is there an easier way...?" Silence was his only response to the question and Kenshin frowned. "Stone Cold might as well be here in the flesh for all the difference it would make, de gozaru yo..."

"I heard that."

"Really? That's good." Both allowing the short conversation to drop at that, Kenshin continued his way through the forest quietly. Finally, he stumbled upon a large clearing. He was greeted by swaying grasses, a small creek, and a path leading to a homey little cottage. Spotting smoke billowing from its chimney, he thought it safe to say someone was home. So he did. "Someone's home, de gozaru." He crept towards the bridge that ran over the creek, keeping a wary high on the high grass around him.

"Kenshin found a clearing containing a cottage and cautiously crept forward, so as not to alert possible hostile residents to his presence."

Kenshin glared up at the sky. "That _was_ the general idea, de gozaru. Now everyone within a ten mile radius is sure to know sessha is here."

"Actually," Aoshi began dispassionately, "you're the only one that can hear me. So if your position has been revealed, it is your own fault, Himura."

Before Kenshin could bust a blood vessel, another voice spoke up. "_Actually_, I can hear you just fine, buddy."

Kenshin blinked wide violet, looking around for this voice, but much like Aoshi, he couldn't find the owner. "Um... hello?"

"Heh, that sure is a dumbass look..." the new voice said, amused.

Kenshin gaped. "Excuse me?!"

"So Kenshin came upon the bridge and was soon surprised by a disembodied voice th-"

"And just what do you think you are?!" Kenshin asked, glaring at the sky again.

"I am the narrator," Aoshi answered calmly and finished his commentary. "That began to insult the man."

The new voice snickered. "Seems like you're having a bit of trouble with the narrator, pal. Sorry to hear it."

Kenshin brow furrowed as he realized the voice was familiar. "Where are you, de gozaru ka?"

"Look down," the voice directed.

Kenshin did as told and had to remind himself to close his mouth. Standing a couple of feet in front was Sano chewing on a fishbone... only chibi-fied. Kenshin blinked and Sano chuckled at him again. "S-Sano...?"

The other picked at his teeth with the fishbone a moment before chunking it and shaking his head. "Nah. Here I'm called Lazy. One of the seven dwarves, you know?" At Kenshin's lost look, he sighed. "Guess not." He shrugged and gestured for Kenshin to follow. "I'll go ahead and introduce you to the other six. What kind of serviceable skills do you have? Can you cook, clean, or do laundry?"

Kenshin nodded dumbly, still a little shocked by seeing a tiny Sano. "Sessha's good with laundry... but why are you only offering me household chores, de gozaru ka?"

Sano glanced up Kenshin, then looked pointedly at the rurouni's gi before returning his attention to the path. "Just a feeling." Kenshin felt his eye twitch again, but didn't comment. They soon came upon the cottage that other tiny people were already starting to file out of. They all stood in a row as Sano brought forth Kenshin. The chibi Sano jerked a thumb over his shoulder at Kenshin when they stopped. "This is Kenshin. He does laundry."

Kenshin stared at the other six before, the stupid look once again gracing his expression. In front of him, all tiny, stood Yahiko, Tae, Tsubame, Kyouki, Michika and... Saito. Kenshin almost busted out laughing upon seeing the Wolf of Mibu chibi-fied, but managed to restrain himself. He couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face, however, and Saito quirked an eyebrow. "Ahou." With that said, he disappeared behind the cottage.

Sano shook his head. "Don't worry about him. Grumpy's always like that." Kenshin chuckled at the name as Sano motioned for the other to introduce themselves.

Yahiko stepped, seeming none too happy as he stated his given name. "Tiny..."

Tsubame patted the boy's shoulder comfortingly as Tae stepped forward. "Hi! I'm Snoopy. It's a pleasure to meet you, Kenshin."

Michika stepped forward then, brushing some hair out of her face. "I'm Airy and the one behind me," she said, motioning to Kyouki, "is Creepy. And the sweetheart there," she continued, pointing to Tsubame, " is Tsubame."

Kenshin arched an eyebrow. "Why doesn't Tsubame-dono get a name like the rest of you?"

Michika shrugged. "I don't know. It's your head, not mine."

A cry split the air and everyone turned to see Natsuo stumble into the clearing, Saito aka Grumpy following on his heels at a leisurely pace. "I told you, you constipated midget, I'm not here to bother you and your little orgy! I was just looking for-" Natsuo looked up and saw Kenshin standing beside the other pygmies. Suddenly, Natsuo whipped a bow from his back and cocked an arrow, aiming it straight for Kenshin's heart. "I have been given the righteous order by milady, Queen Megumi, to hunt down and kill the runaway, Himura Kenshin."

Kenshin blinked big violet eyes at Natsuo. "Oro?"

A hush filled the clearing as Natsuo stepped closer to the redhead. Kenshin was more than prepared to defend against the attack, but something told him he wouldn't have to. A moment later, he was rewarded for his patience when Natsuo sighed and dropped his weapon. "I cannot..." He moved to stand directly before Kenshin, tears in his eyes. "I just can't..." Kenshin was only beginning to worry about the man's close proximity when the other suddenly threw himself at Kenshin, crying on his shoulder. "I can't do it! You're too pretty!"

Luckily, he was saved from the uncomfortable situation by the chibi Michika, who cracked her knuckles and sent Natsuo flying into next Tuesday. "Pervert!!" As she huffed at the fast disappearing form of the hunter, Kenshin slowly inched away from the tiny Karada. Even tiny, the girl packed a punch.

That's when he bumped into the mini-Kyouki. Her misty gray eyes seem to look through him as she handed him the washtub. "Don't worry. Simply let the wind flow through the grass as it wishes. You will find your path to the future less turbulent." She smiled before and turning away. "And be more careful from now on. Allowing someone to drug you so easily might end fatally next time."

He looked down into the tub, then around, spotting the pile of laundry quite easily by its size. Apparently, it had been there for quite some time, for Kenshin could see the flies gathering. Whipping an apron out of nowhere and tying both sleeves, Kenshin got a predatory glint in his eyes as he stalked towards the stinking mass of dirty clothes.

"Meanwhile..." Aoshi narrated indifferently.

At the Sakeland Castle, one Queen Megumi paced back and forth in her personal tower. "What's taking that moron so long?" The fox lady threw her arms up in frustration. "This is what I get for hiring an outsider." She stared down into the castle courtyard, wondering if Natsuo had managed to complete his task yet. "Well, there's one way to find out..."

She stepped over to the large, golden mirror hanging on the opposite wall, her long gown whispering across the floor. Staring into it's reflective silver depths, she posed her usual question. "Mirror, mirror, on the wall. Who's the fairest of them all?"

The mirror surface became smoky for a second before swirling in a hypnotic pattern and disappearing to reveal two shining eyes of jade, glinting angrily. "I have a name, you know. It's Makimachi Misao and don't you forget it!"

Megumi waved away the mirror girl's declaration. "Just answer the question."

Misao stepped back, revealing herself from the waist up as she rolled her eyes. "An answer, huh? It was no yesterday and it's still no today, you old hag. So long as Himura Kenshin lives, you'll always be second best."

Megumi's eye twitched as she slowly turned her head towards the window, glaring. "That means that idiotic Natsuo hasn't done his job yet!"

Misao bristled. "You mean you sent someone to kill Himura?! That's... that's..."

Megumi glanced up at the mirror, smirking. "Wrong?" she offered. "Or how about evil? Bad? Diabolic? Perhaps wicked? Or even fiendish?" Megumi swept an arm out, as if putting the words on display for Misao. "Pick any one, they'll all fit. Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho!"

Megumi's patented laugh was cut short, however, as Natsuo came flying through the window and landed on top of her. She let out an 'oomf' as the two fell gracelessly to the floor in a tangle of limbs and clothes. As soon as she gathered her wits once again, she flipped onto Natsuo's stomach and began strangling the dazed hunter. "You useless, idiotic good-for-nothing! Why didn't you complete the job?!"

The swirls faded from Natsuo's as he blinked and frowned at Megumi. "Forgive me, milady, but my righteous heart would not allow me to do the world such an injustice." His eyes shined with gathering tears. "He was just too pretty."

"You go, Natsuo!" Misao cheered from her place on the wall.

Both Natsuo and Misao the Mirror found themselves sailing out the window. As the ground sped closer, Natsuo sighed. "You know, I have only one regret."

Misao unshielded one of her eyes to peer at Natsuo. "What's that?"

He smiled. "That they don't make parachutes for mirrors." He pulled a cord and his pack released a large, hemispherical piece of cloth. It opened fully as it caught the wind and slowed Natsuo's descent. As Misao continued to plummet, she spent her remaining moments as an unblemished mirror cursing his existence. She finally hit the ground, though, shattering into thousands of shining, jagged pieces as Natsuo floated to safety, hurried on by Megumi's evil laughter.

"Back at the clearing..." Aoshi again interrupted, his narration short and precise.

Two hours and several wash loads later, Kenshin had only to hang the last bit of clothing. As he was making the trek across the field with his bucket of clean clothes, there was a large poof of smoke that appeared in his path. He set the bucket down, just in case he needed to move quickly, but was surprised to find himself face with the visage of a hideous old crone. She gave him a toothy smile and held out a bright red apple. "You've been working so hard on that, young one. Why not stop a moment for a snack before finishing up?"

Kenshin stared down at the apple suspiciously, the foreign ruby fruit almost unknown to him. _My rurouni sense is tingling._ Finally, he shook his head. "Thank you, but sessha is not used to eating those. A stomachache simply would not do right now, de gozaru yo."

The crone pushed the apple towards him again. "It'll be fine. Eat it."

Kenshin grimaced, fighting the urge to be rude to the hag. "Why does sessha think you are not giving that to me for my good health, de gozaru ka?"

"Fine!" the crone replied, pitching the apple at his head. It connected and Kenshin fell over in a dazed heap. Another poof of smoke quickly revealed the true identity of the old woman to be the youthful Queen Megumi. She let loose another round of her patented laughter as she produced a knife. "This is coated in the very same poison as the apple... one scratch means instant death! Then I will finally be the fairest in the land!"

"As the Queen Megumi prepared to shave every last hair from Kenshin's head using the knife, thus condemning him to eternal baldness, another appeared," Aoshi once again cut in.

"Drop the knife, Megumi," ordered an armored figure on horseback. Megumi shielded her eyes from the sun as she glared defiantly at the figure. The horse snorted at the woman crouched over the dazed rurouni. "If you do not, I will be forced to inform His Majesty of your trickery."

Megumi blessed the unknown rider with a condescending smile. "I don't know what you're talking about, stranger."

"Oh really," the rider replied, dismounting their steed. "Perhaps you won't mind then when I tell him that all the sake you gave him as a dowry was just cheap, second rate alcohol you bought off some traveling peddler."

Megumi eyes narrowed at the redhead's would-be savior. She was about to ask how this newcomer could possibly know of such things when she was interrupted by another voice. "Wow, pretty and a shapeshifter. Now that's my kind of girl." Megumi blinked down at the chibi Sano now standing beside, looking over her with an appraising eye. He nodded to himself and grabbed the woman's sleeve in a vise-like grip, dragging her into the woods. "Can you do tentacles and tails, too?"

"A piercing scream was all that was ever heard from the evil Queen Megumi again," the narrator once again narrated, as was his job.

"Well, except for that day the hair dresser swore Megumi had shown up at the salon," Misao's voice added.

Silence reigned for a moment.

"What? I decided since my mirror was broken, I might as well be a disembodied voice, too! Then I could be with you, Aoshi-sama." Both voices went silent as the story continued.

The armored rider pulled the helmet, revealing herself to be none other than the Royal Highness Kamiya Kaoru of the Kasshin country. Kaoru threw the helmet aside and bent down next to Kenshin, slapping him lightly a couple of times to bring the rurouni back to his senses. "Welcome back, sleeping beauty."

As Kenshin's eyes took in the girl before him, a smile spread across his face. "Kaoru-dono... thank you for saving sessha." She nodded then peered up into the sky, as if looking for something. A shadow passed overhead, completely blocking out the sun and Kaoru smiled. "He's here..."

Kenshin blinked as they both stood up. "Who's he?"

When it landed, the shadowy form was revealed to be Natsuo using some kind of flying contraption. He unbelted himself from it and groaned as he stretched. "I had to circle at least a half dozen times waiting for Megumi to disappear! It was simply unjust I tell you!"

Kaoru chuckled lightly and looked at Kenshin. "Time for me to go!" She began walking towards Natsuo at a brisk pace, leaving behind a very lost-looking rurouni.

"Where are you going, de gozaru ka?"

Kaoru stopped and glanced over her shoulder, smiling warmly at Kenshin. "To get married, silly!"

Kenshin's mouth hung open in shock. "B-but... but..." Once again, his mind frantically searched for something to save his ass. "But he's gay!"

Kaoru turned back to Kenshin and nodded. "Yeah, I know! So am I, so it all works out! Isn't it great?" She frowned at Kenshin confused expression. "Didn't you know, Kenshin?" She reached up, grabbing ahold of the things covering her upper body. Kaoru ripped them away to reveal a flat chest and washboard abs. "I'm a man!" she proclaimed proudly.

A look of utter horror painted itself on Kenshin's face. "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

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Wind blew down the dusty street, kicking up small dirt devils as it passed. Very few people walked the streets of Bradley that day and the few that did ducked inside as the stranger passed. No one wanted any trouble with the obvious outlaw. Who else but the sheriff and his deputy would walk around with their gun blatantly displayed?

So no one bothered him or blocked his path as he walked from the hotel he'd spent the night at, which was just fine with Yahiko. Decked out in chaps, boots, and even a ten gallon cowboy that barely covered his spiky hair, he knew his image would catch attention. The guns at his sides would keep most but the bravest from bothering him. And it was those brave few that he sought to test his skills against. In the plains, he'd been called the best, the greatest that ever lived even, but he knew there were better. There were people alive that could still outdraw him. So he packed up what belongings he's had and headed west to find these people.

Oh, he'd come across a few daring souls to duel with. A couple had even managed to draw their weapons before the guns were shot out of their ends, effectively ending the match. That was before he'd heard of Bradley, heard of the legendary gunmen that resided there. Even their sheriff had once been branded as such.

The prospect of an actual challenge excited Yahiko, so he gathered all the information he could on the infamous residents. Rumors had it that not one, not two, but eight living legends resided in the peaceful little dustbowl. There was Zanza the Slinger, though it was said he was slinging more drinks than he was guns these days. Then there were the Le Morte Sisters, Michika and Kyouki, who seemed a perfect combo of cunning and speed. Joining the motley crew were Aoshi the Frigid, known for his chilling gaze and heartlessness. Natsuo the Gambler, also among their ranks, was known for his seemingly endless good fortune. Rounding off the list were the sheriff and deputy of Bradley. These two were the Wolf, known for his motto of 'Aku. Soku. Zan.' though damned if anyone but his victims knew what it meant, and Chou the Collector, whose collection would astound even the most obsessive of gun lovers.

That left only one more, the one legends were born to be. And though rumor had it he lived here as well, none who passed through had seen him...

A tumbleweed rolled by as Yahiko stepped up to the town's only saloon. The sound of card playing and music drifted to him and he smiled. This would be the place his dreams were made of. As he stepped inside, his adult form filling the opening more than he was used to, everything died down to utter silence.

"It's a shrimp!" he heard someone call from across the room.

"Go home to your mom, kid!" another shouted.

Passing by a dining patron, he grabbed the pie they were eating from and sent it hurtling towards one of the spotted oppressors, a tall man of brown eyes and spiked hair. It easily hit its mark, making the man beside the chosen target roar in laughter. The spike-haired man caught the pie pan as it fell and turned to his companion. "Shut up, Natsuo," he ordered just before slamming the remaining pie into his friend's face. As his friend retaliated with his own food, an all out food fight broke out. The music started back up and the dancers on the stage went back to doing their routine amongst the chaos.

__

So that was Natsuo the Gambler. Yahiko sighed as he carefully made his way to the bar, dodging dishes and food alike. "I bet I'll have to pay for this now," he mumbled as he sat down, setting his hat on the bar.

"Nah, they do that all the time. Those idiots were just looking for a reason." Yahiko looked up into a pair of warm sapphire eyes and smiled his gratitude. The waitress pulled a pad and pencil from her apron. "Would you like anything to eat?"

He shook his head and she nodded, going off to try and calm the warring patrons. Another voice caught him by surprise, though. "Miss Kaoru, do we have any more sake in back? We're out up and you know Mister Hiko'll get upset if he doesn't get his sake, that he will."

Yahiko blinked and peered over the bar, finding a small redheaded figure kneeling on the other side. "If you were talking to that blue-eyed waitress, she's gone."

Violet eyes blinked up at him. "Oro?"

Yahiko made very slow gestures with his hands, his voice equally slow. "The... waitress... is... gone..."

"Oh." There was a moment of silence when the other suddenly snapped to a standing position. "Oh dear, are you a customer? I didn't even notice you come in, that I did not." The effeminate man smiled hospitably. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

Yahiko eyed the slowly dying food fight and sighed again. "Whatever's cheap."

He nodded, reaching below for a glass and poured some sarsaparilla into Yahiko's cup before scurrying off somewhere. If this was what his dreams were made of, his dreams sucked. Ah well, considering he could out-draw most anyone in a gun fight, maybe it was time for some new dreams. Since he liked traveling, maybe he could start an export business or something.

Things got quiet again and Yahiko turned to see a shadow standing in the door he had stepped through just moments before. Smoking a cigarette and dressed in sharp, wrinkleless clothing, the man stood at least a head taller than Yahiko and had a face that would scare most children. The man Yahiko had hit with the pie picked himself up from the floor, somehow managing to look imposing even covered from head to foot in food. "What's that bastard Saito doing here..?" he growled lowly.

__

Saito... the sheriff. Yahiko grinned into his cup. _So that's the Wolf. Finally, something interesting..._

Saito glanced over the room, his cold amber eyes settling on the imposing man. "Moron." The waitress eyed the man sourly before heading into the kitchen. Another head popped out from behind Saito, bearing blonde spikes and giving the room a one-eyed disdainful look.

"Get tired of sweeping up the shit again, Deputy?" teased the appointed moron of the room, causing several others present to fall over laughing.

Chou the Collector growled. "Shut up, ya damn chicken head!"

"Broom-head!"

"Chicken-head!"

Saito narrowed his eyes at the little fight. "I'm surrounded by morons."

"Now, now," came the bartender's soothing voice. Yahiko glanced over to find the redhead had returned from the back, apparently fetched by the very angry looking waitress. Although he appeared to be casually making his way to his post at the bar, something in the set of the man's shoulders told Yahiko there was actually something he wanted from there. "Is there something we can help you with, Saito?"

"For once," the man said, taking a drag off his cigarette. "It seems one of your morons here has taken off with the police station's furnace. We'd like it returned."

Crickets could be heard chirping as everyone tried to understand what was just said. "The police station's... furnace... was stolen?" Kaoru repeated questioningly.

"I would suspect it was Sagara, considering his usual drunken antics," Saito said, explaining his presence among them.

All eyes turned to the pie-covered man who stared dumbly back. "What?"

The bartender moved around and handed a towel to the man. "Sano, if you've taken the furnace, it would be best to return it, that it would."

__

Zanza... That makes 4 out 8 and the only respectable one is a creepy looking asshole. Damn...

Sano glared down at the smaller man angrily. "I didn't take the damn furnace. Even drunk, I'd know anything belonging to that bastard would be a piece of shit."

This seemed truthful enough to the bartender who turned to Saito and shrugged. Saito frowned slightly. "I know the one who took it is in this room and until they confess, no one leaves." There were a few angry shouts and a fight broke out between two of the dancers. No one seemed surprised by this so Yahiko simply continued sipping his drink quietly.

The next hour was spent like this with Tae the pianist trying her best to calm everyone with her music. Just when it seemed another fight was going to break out, the resident singer stepped on stage and Yahiko was blown away. So far he'd seen three dancers, one named Megumi was currently lecturing Sano, and several other pretty young women hanging about or waiting tables. None of them compared to the singer's beauty in his eyes, though. Her eyes were dazzling and he became entranced as he listened to her, watching her sway to the song.

It was over all too soon in his opinion though as the young lady climbed from the stage to sit beside the pianist. Kaoru noticed Yahiko's dazed and giggled, supplying him with the girl's name. "Tsubame..."

Finally, a man who'd been sitting in the corner, shadowed by shadowy shadows, stood and whipped a white mantle over his shoulders. "I can't believe this pack of idiots," he mumbled to himself, downing the last of his sake. The sound of his cup slamming down brought everyone to attention and he ever so gracefully made his way around the table towards the door. "A person would wonder why you would even need a furnace in the middle of the summer." Saito arched an eyebrow at the man as the speaker continued towards him. "But I supposed since your wife kicked you out, you have to weather the cold nights somehow."

Saito snapped his cigarette in half. "Is there something _important_ you'd like to say, Hiko?"

Hiko shrugged his broad shoulders, a charming grin plastered on his face that made almost every female in the saloon swoon. "Other than your wife likes breakfast in bed, two things..." Saito's eye twitched, but he waited on the other to continue. He turned back to the bartender. "Kenshin, you've always wanted to know who your parents were right?" The redhead nodded. Hiko jerked a thumb at Saito. "Saito's your father; had you with a redheaded German woman from Kansas." There were murmurs all around.

Kenshin sighed. "Well, as long as we're being truthful... Miss Kaoru and I got married two years ago and we just never got around to telling anyone, that we did not." There was a collective gasp. "We even have a son named Kenji..." There were several cooing sounds from the women as they began discussing the child.

"Might as well keep with the trend," one of the dancers said and turned to the dancer beside her, tears in her eyes. "Kyouki, I just wanted you to know... I'm your long lost sister!"

Kyouki's eye twitched. "Michika, we already knew that, you moron."

Michika blinked. "Oh yeah..." Kyouki sighed and shook her head.

Natsuo stood and handed Sano a five dollar bill. "Honesty is the best policy, one supposes... It was unjust of me, my friend, but I cheated you for this in that last poker game."

Sano yanked the five from the man's hand and glared at him. "I think you owe me more than just that, then..."

Natsuo scratched his chin, looking thoughtful. "No... just that."

Megumi turned to a girl with braided hair and jade eyes. "Misao, what do you say to starting a women's rights movement?" Misao grinned evilly and the two moved off to a corner to plan their trip to Washington to picket the White House.

Aoshi and Tae, being the only ones left out besides Yahiko, decided they'd throw together a traveling carnival for the hell of it. Running a business was Tae's dream and it was a great cover for Aoshi's undercover investigations of aliens.

Saito pinched the bridge of his nose, already feeling the oncoming headache. "The morons... they're everywhere..."

Hiko patted Saito on the shoulder. "The second thing would be that I took your furnace. I needed some parts for my vat to make my latest batch of moonshine." He waved as he headed outside. "You can have it back tomorrow," he called over his shoulder.

Chou gave his superior a sympathetic look. "How about we go back to the station and get you some aspirin, boss?"

Saito sighed and the two disappeared out the door.

Yahiko stood from his barstool and smiled at the remaining crowd. "I guess everyone should know that I came here to kill you..." Everyone turned towards him in surprise, most forgetting he was even there. "...but as I sat here watching Tsubame sing, I found a more peaceful calling in life." The room was full of smiles for him. He pulled a brown sash, several badges sewn on it, from his pack and dropped it over his head to hang off one shoulder. "I'm going to be the best damn girl scout there ever was!" He whipped a box of cookies from behind his back. "Would anyone like to try some? They're only $5 a box!"

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Kaoru stood on the tiny stepstool, stretching her arm out as far as she could. She'd had easily found the stool thanks to Kenshin's compulsive need to put everything back where it belonged. If Kyouki was still on the roof, then she was still up there somehow since Kaoru hadn't heard anything but the usual nightly noises since she began her quest for the knife. "Just a little further..."

Her fingers grazed the handle and, heartened, she managed to stretch herself a little further. After a moment, she finally managed to clamp her hand around the hilt and sighed in relief. "Phew..." It was at that moment, as Kaoru stood overextended and hanging onto the knife, that two screams of utter terror split the air. "What the hell...?!"

She whipped about, forgetting her precarious position. She was quickly reminded, however, as her sudden motion knocked the stool out from under her and she fell, making a dull thudding sound as she landed face first on the floor, knife in hand. She sat for a moment, torn between screaming in pain or racing angrily through the house in search of the disturbance. She finally settled on a simple utterance of the pain that now racked her body.

"Ow."

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A/N: I hope everyone got at least a chuckle out of that! It was a pain in the ass to write! But still fun, not to mention, a nice break from the storyline for me. *shrugs* Eh, what can I say? It's been stuck in my head for quite some time... I even had music selected for it, but decided at the last minute not to bother anyone with it. *smiles* I still hope you all enjoyed it though. *sweatdrops* I might never do it again... *groans*

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To Cymberleah: *looks around forlornly* You were the only one who reviewed the last chapter... *sighs* Oh well. I'm sure they'll still reading, just busy. *tears up* Right? *poke, poke* So what do you think?? Aoshi cracked me up in Kenshin's dream... *smiles*

Anyways... hope you don't croak from reading this... poor Author Lady... *pats your shoulder* Have fun!


	28. ... And Pink Bunnies

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Disclaimer: Ugh... disclaim... blargh... er... *sighs* Fingers hurt... hands swollen... die weeds...

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Warning: Kuma-chan!! You've come back to me!! *blinks at the blank looks and smiles*

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Souken no Shibun

... And Pink Bunnies

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Sano passed down the nearly deserted road, picking his teeth with his trademark fishbone. The road from Chiba to Tokyo being deserted wasn't unusual. Unless there was something important going on, most people chose not to travel during the midnight hours. Sano was a special case, of course. He didn't have anything too terribly important going on with him right that moment, but unlike the average traveler, he was strong enough to protect himself from run-of-the-mill bandits.

Besides he really wanted to get home and traveling at night was a good way to avoid the usual crowds. And a crowd it would be considering that Chiba was a port town, although admittedly a small one. Still, it managed to stay busy and had its own share of underground workings which was why he'd been there in the first place.

Of course, there also the great perks of it being a coastal town... He could swindle the stupid foreigners like there was no tomorrow and leave a very rich man. Or at least, that had been his plan. After getting that information for Saito, he'd hit every gambling joint in town... and lost at every one. It made a person wonder if Lady Luck just didn't like him.

Ah, well. At least, Saito hadn't given him that promised payment for this little job yet. As much as Sano would have liked to chance to turn the tables on those poker players, at least now he would be coming back home with something to show for it. He might even treat them to- _Shit._ He'd just remembered yesterday was Kaoru's birthday. Maybe if he explained nicely what important business he'd been up to, she wouldn't waylay him. Hmm, she might even be proud of him. Maybe enough to cook his favorite dinner for him. Strike that. Enough to have Kenshin cook his favorite meal for him. Yeah, that sounded good.

Sano sighed. Who was he kidding? Even with the good excuse, he'd be lucky to keep his manhood intact. Hell, even Kenshin might have been worried by now. In fact, he was probably more worried than Kaoru and Yahiko put together. He did know more of what Sano might have to deal with out here on his own. The only difference was that Kenshin would bury his feelings in order to better comfort the other two. Which made Sano feel a little guilty. He was only adding to Kenshin's responsibilities.

However, Saito had convinced him it would be for the best. After all, the Souken had the Rei, an assassin who might be on equal footing with Kenshin if ever given the chance to battle. And while the info he'd gotten from Michika, the Karada, said that Rei had been missing for two years, Saito still thought it best to travel as secretly as possible. The Karada was a part of the Shibun and therefore, not terribly trustworthy. The Souken may have just been hiding the Rei for some reason. That, or sending her on less attention-getting missions.

The tales of the girl's supposed speed and strength were most likely embellishments, but nevertheless, they couldn't afford to take that chance. So Sano had left his family in the middle of the night with no notice whatsoever and disappeared. Of course, he hadn't actually disappeared. That was superstitious talk there. No, he'd just headed on to the first assignment Saito had given him. There had only been a few, but all three required Sano to get in, get out, and get to the next one before word of his appearance could be sent. Not a hard task if he went through knocking out every yakuza member he could find.

So he did. And it worked. It was just boring. Not a single person in either of the three locations had been even the slightest challenge to him. From first to last, they'd all gone the same way. Admittedly, he'd been a little more careless with that third one, but it was his final stop, so he didn't have to worry about them sending warning to anyone. As long as he got the job done, that was all that mattered. Saito got the information he wanted to catch his prey and Sano's little patchwork family got protected. A patchwork family he was very interested in getting back to right now, even if they were going to bite his head off.

Considering how long he'd been walking and the distance it was from Chiba to Tokyo, Sano estimated he'd be there within the next hour or so. In fact, if he felt up to running, he could be there a lot sooner. But simply running to get home would ruin his cool image if anyone happened to see him. So he'd continue to walk and take his time. It was the middle of the night; there wasn't going to be anything waiting for him this time of night whether or not he hurried.

Lost in his own musings, Sano almost failed the notice the quieting of his surroundings. Almost. The crickets and other night-life silenced. What was left were only the sounds of the breeze as it washed over the trees, creating an eerie sound that put Sano's nerves on edge. He continued walking, sure that someone was watching him but unable to spot the observer.

It was as he was passing over the last hill on that road to Tokyo that even the wind stopped. He paused, seeing the shadow waiting for him at the bottom. Short-statured with long hair, dressed in a dark gi and hakama, this waiting figure stood stock-still. As they remained in their relative positions, Sano was sure that just as he was observing this person, he too was being assessed.

It was too dark to be able to tell much of anything about the shadowy figure. There was something decidedly familiar about them, though, with their hair in that high ponytail and the sword at their side. It reminded him of someone or something, but his mind refused to bring the memory to the surface. In fact, his mind refused to do much of anything. Other than try and guess at the next note of that weird song.

__

Song..? That was strange... there hadn't been any music a second ago. Maybe it was the person at the bottom singing. It was pretty, whatever it was, weird or not. He couldn't understand a word of it though, like it was in some other language. It could be that he was just too far away to understand it. _Too far..._ As the thought crossed his mind, he could feel his longs legs responding, moving him ever closer to the person. As he came within a half dozen feet though, the singing stopped.

"Sagara Sanosuke?"

Sano narrowed his eyes, not really liking the feel of the situation. Usually, a fight was something he looked forward to. In fact, he _should_ have been looking forward to this one, considering his latest disappointments. Something was up, though. Sano could sense something different about this one, different from those yakuza amateurs. This one had an air of competence, one that Sano intended to heed. Much as Saito liked to call him a moron and as much as he sometimes acted like it, Sano knew when he was up against something serious. And this was. "Can I help you with something?"

The figure nodded slowly. The next moment, Sano tensed and shifted into a fighting stance as he heard the click of their sword. As the person swung their right arm out, releasing it from their sleeve, the gi tightened, revealing... _A girl?! Aw hell no, I ain't fighting no girl._ He didn't slacken his stance any though. Still, he ended up not having to fight anyways.

The girl had lifted her head and looking around frantically, her eyes a bit wide with shock. "P-pink rabbits?! Wha...?" She started backing away slowly, as if something were stalking towards her. "No! Not the pink bunnies!!" She started scrambling backwards, tripping over a stray rock and knocking herself unconscious.

Sano blinked and scooted over to peer down at her. "You know, I think she was drunk..."

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A/N: *sniffles* Even though the yard work was done yesterday, my hands still hurt... it's a bad, bad thing... *sighs* And I'm feeling a bit pissy that only three people reviewed the chapter I worked so hard on... *sniffles some more* I think I may cry... *stops* Or not. I feel more like being pissy about it. And ranting sounds good... yeah...

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To Cymberleah: *falls over, laughing* You don't know how proud I am of myself right now, knowing that I managed to leave you nearly speechless... for whatever reason. *smiles*

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To SaveTheTurkeys: It's ok! You can ask! I won't guarantee you'll get what you want, but you can still ask! You won't upset my mojo! *blinks* I didn't even know I had mojo... just rebellious fingers that want to confuse me with more characters. I still don't know about Hiko, but I'm pretty sure Misao and Aoshi are popping in. And again, that list just makes it possible to pop in more characters. *glares at fingers again* I'm very happy you reviewed though! *glomps you* I shall worship you for eternity for reviewing the chapters I worked so hard for two days to complete! *smiles* Ok?

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To Hazu: I'm glad I could amuse you as well, Hazu. *smiles*

And now, to pass off to Author Lady... I'm sure she wants to go to bed...


	29. Eh?

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Disclaimer: Ask and I shall say "Yes, I do own Kenshin," so do us all a favor and don't ask. *smiles*

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Warning: Uhh... blargh?

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Souken no Shibun

Eh?

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Kaoru glared between the two silent and very unsettled male residents. "Fine. You two _children_ can sit here as long as you like. I'm not going to coddle you just because you had a bad dream."

Yahiko growled at his teacher. "Can't you be a little more understanding?! It was..." he shivered. "...scary."

Kenshin nodded his head in agreement, making Kaoru throw her hands into the air in frustration. "I'd be more understanding if you two would simply tell me what you saw!" Yahiko and Kenshin looked up at her with glazed eyes, then at each other, as if in silent discussion. Yahiko shivered again and the two shook their heads. "Argh! Enough. I'm going back to bed."

The two watched her storm off, hearing the shoji slam shut behind her. Kenshin sighed, prompting their attention be returned to each other. Each regarded the other coolly, trying to discern the emotions that lay hidden in their eyes. There seemed to be shock, fear, and a deep sense of confusion in both faces. Yahiko shrugged, trying to return the confident mask of the brat to his demeanor.

"Want to talk about it, de gozaru?"

"You first."

"..."

Yahiko grunted. "Thought so. Well, I'm going back to bed. Considering the training Kaoru's got in mind for tomorrow, I don't need to be staying up."

Kenshin nodded, more to himself than to Yahiko as the boy was already gone. Well, obviously, Yahiko hadn't been the one to drug the tea. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been affected as well. Unless, of course, the boy had planned ahead knowing that Kenshin might think that. Then again, Yahiko would have known that Kenshin would also thi- Nevermind, that train of thought always ended in confusion. Just leave it at the basics for now.

Yahiko had been drugged, Kaoru hadn't. As yet, there'd been nothing to denote Kyouki being drugged as well. He'd heard her heading to her room before settling down and even with the screaming, she hadn't woken apparently. Strange, but not unusual. Two screams of such terror would surely wake most people. Unless you were Sano. Sanosuke probably could've slept through the Bakumatsu had it not directly involved him in some way. So it was possible that Kyouki was the same.

There was only one flaw in that bit of logic. Even when the mind forgets, the body still remembers. Kenshin had seen evidence of this the first night he met Kyouki, and again when she sparred with Kaoru. Considering her life as an assassin, she probably slept about as lightly as he would.

With that in mind, he headed for Kyouki's room. It was empty, much the way Kaoru had found it earlier. He narrowed his eyes, something seeming off in the small room. He knew it wasn't proper to step into a girl's room uninvited, however, she wasn't there and he needed to find out what was setting his senses off.

Kyouki seemed cheerful and friendly enough in general, but anyone could see the confusion that lay within her if they looked hard enough. The girl seemed completely at odds with herself sometimes, as if even she didn't know who she truly was. The simple response would be that of course she wasn't. She was an amnesiac. While Kenshin was sure that was a main part of it, there was something else. Like she was fighting some part of herself that didn't belong.

At times, her eyes were empty and at others, torn. Somehow, he felt that if he could only get her to tell him why she looked that way, he would have the key to some important discovery. Kenshin was sure she would eventually. Still, the battle that obviously lay within her mind should have been exhibited in some way. Kenshin knew well his own internal battle was shown clearly through his behavior. The more he fought his darker emotions, the more polite, respectful, and humble he would appear.

Which meant that there should be something, some sign to give Kyouki's away. Unlike Kenshin, her attitude didn't seem to be it, nor did her actions. So perhaps it could be seen in her organization. Her room was orderly though, everything neat and put away. Still, there was something wrong with the scene. Something was missing.

The aura that would have made this room hers. That was it. Even though the room was visibly lived in, if you closed your eyes, there was a sense of emptiness. It felt as if the room had been abandoned for years. However, Kenshin knew the room was being used, had been used before.

It was almost as if she acted as a vacuum.

Or maybe... Kenshin just needed more sleep. That was probably it.

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The morning was gray and misty, the telltale signs of a storm on its way. The fog was both a blessing and a curse. It kept curious onlookers from gossiping about the body Sano was carrying over his shoulder, but it also served to confuse what little direction sense he had. Otherwise, he'd have been bunking at the dojo by now. But he wasn't and still had yet to even sight the gates.

The girl that had attacked him had remained unconscious the entire time, so he hadn't bothered to take her from his shoulder. Being that they were so close to Tokyo, he was guessing that was the direction she had come from. Maybe after getting her to the dojo and getting her looked over, he could send her on her way with a warning. Fighting girls was hard enough, he absolutely refused to kill one. Besides, that would only earn him one of those damned reproachful looks from Kenshin. Kenshin knew he could easily manipulate his little family with those looks of his and damned if he wasn't good at it.

Sano blinked as a raindrop hit his nose and he sighed. Thankfully, he could finally see the familiar walls of the dojo if not the gates themselves. The rain began to pour down in sheets, quickly soaking both Sano and his quiet luggage. He managed to find the gates before too long and pushed through them, hiding under what little protection the gate's roof offered as he surveyed the yard.

It was still pretty early, so it was no surprise that he didn't find the others racing about the yard trying to get out of the rain. He wondered if even Kenshin would be awake. Probably, knowing the redhead. The man tended to wake much earlier than the others just so that everything they might need would be prepared, making life run that much more smoothly. Which was why he was surprised to find not Kenshin, but Kaoru.

"Jou-chan?"

Kaoru spun on him, the knife in her hand coming dangerously close to gutting him before she realized who it was. She blinked, surprise and worry both evident in her eyes. "Sanosuke?" When he nodded, she lowered her head, quiet. At first he thought she might be crying. Usually she only cried over Kenshin, which was just as well. He didn't want to the reason for her tears.

Which was just as well, since there weren't any being shed. He quickly realized this when he felt a fist in his gut. "You stupid chicken head!! Do you have any id-" She stopped, blinking in confusion when she heard moans of a female variety. "Eh?"

Sano groaned a bit, trying to catch his breath, and pulled his package down to cradle her in his arms. "On the way home when I found this." Kaoru didn't respond, blinking some more at the girl he was holding. "Apparently, she didn't take kindly to my using that road. Wanted to skewer me." He smirked. "She didn't get the chance though. I think she was drunk or something. Kept going on about pink bunnies..."

Kaoru brushed the hair from the girl's face. "Kyouki?"

Sano set the girl down against the wall. "You mean know her?"

Kaoru nodded. "Yes." Kaoru sweatdropped, rubbing the back of her head. "I drugged her tea."

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A/N: Umm... kackleskookinmaklepinta? *blinks*

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To cymberleah: You never know... after all, Kenshin's not awake yet. *snickers*

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To SaveTheTurkeys: *sweatdrops* At least I've done _something_ besides fall out of my chair... a lot...

Pass off! Go Author Lady! (Author Lady fumbles the story, recovers, and kicks for a field goal)


	30. Pieces Apart

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Disclaimer: Yep, I own RK. I also own a couple hundred enslaved animators and make the draw Barney cartoons. Being able to afford all that, it makes you wonder why I never have enough spare change for a soda.

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Warning: Huh... Does anyone else see that bright light? No? Maybe I ate a bad meatball...

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Souken no Shibun

Pieces Apart

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Michika slammed her fist down on the desk. "Dammit! You meant to tell me I've put up with your sadistic ass all night for nothing?!"

Saito leaned back in his chair, amused at how easily he could push the girl into losing her temper. She was almost as amusing as Sagara. He wondered briefly if his favorite moron had returned home yet. Most likely, and probably broke as well. Since he was done with this idiot, he could probably pay the little group another visit. Besides, he needed to inform their little pet about the conditions of her 'amnesia'. He was sure the Rei would _love _to know her sister had induced it.

Even better, the Karada had explained that she had broken Kyouki's memory up into six separate pieces. Each piece could only be unlocked by a particular phrase corresponding to that piece. Saito was sure knowing that would make dear little 'Kyouki' even more happy. Oh yes, he'd definitely love having a front seat to the upcoming event. Watching the Rei tear the Karada limb from limb promised to be very entertaining.

All he needed now were those damn phrases. However, even with as much as the Karada revealed, she refused to give that little extra bit of information. Which was rather aggravating, considering she was absolutely the only person in existence with that knowledge. Of course, he did not allow the woman to see his irritation. "You have made her memory retrievable. Why?"

Michika's eye twitched. "There might be need of it."

He arched an eyebrow, skimming over a report he'd been handed as he walked into the station. He knew his seeming lack of attention only further angered the girl, clouding her ability to reason as it would most people. Still, throughout the night, she still managed to keep secret that vital bit of information concerning those phrases, no matter how he poked or prodded. Surely, he was wearing her down by now. A little more and she'd probably tell him anything he wanted to simply get out of that office. "I see. And in the unfortunate event of your death?"

The girl frowned at him. Of course, the little idiot actually hadn't thought of that. Or at least, hadn't considered it a real possibility. The Karada was definitely the soldier she claimed to be; trained to act, not to think. She turned away from him, trying hide whatever expression was playing across her face. Although he couldn't see it, he could hear her foot tapping incessantly. Annoying as it was, he sat quietly, allowing her time to think her decision through... if only to a certain extent. "Well?"

The Karada slowly turned her head to glare at him over her shoulder. As she opened her mouth to answer, she paused, some thought lighting her eyes up. She closed her mouth and allowed a smirk, not dissimilar from one of Saito's own, to curve her lips. "You've made a rather valid point, Saito-san."

Officially, Saito did _not_ like seeing that expression on someone else's face. He could already tell that whatever she had decided on in that moment her eyes lit up, it was not going to be something Saito liked. No matter, he could handle whatever she had planned.

She smiled brightly at him. "So here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to tell the phrases to one other person. If that person tells you the phrases, well, lucky you."

"And do I get to know who is person is?"

She giggled. "Nope!"

Saito groaned internally. "Of course." Now she knew she was being a pest. Making him have to deal with other people, how time consuming. One would think she'd be a little more helpful considering he was out to stop her brother from starting some pointless war.

Michika tapped her chin thoughtfully. "It does seem a bit unfair, though. Hm... How about I go ahead and give you one phrase?" He remained silent and she took that as an affirmative response. Leaning across his desk a bit, as if to share some great secret, she whispered to him in a downright giddy tone, "Pink in the summer rain."

He arched an eyebrow, finding the chosen phrase to be rather ridiculous. "I'm assuming it refers to the 'bunny incident' spoken of last night..."

She nodded happily. "Indeed, but you don't need to know about that. All you need is the phrase."

There was a god. Or at least, a reasonable facsimile thereof. If he had to sit there and listen to the Karada go on about some childhood memory, he might snap. Not that it would have been such a bad thing, ridding the world of the Karada, but it would ruin Saito's carefully constructed image of control.

As the girl backed towards the door, she offered one other bit of information. "I'll be nice and give you a clue to who will hold the other phrases. This person that I tell will be able to at least reasonably defend themselves against you," she said and was out the door.

Reasonably defend against _him_? How laughable. Oh well, he only had to find one person. How hard could it be?

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A/N: Pigeon!! *hugs her screen* *smiles at onlookers* I've had this strange fixation on feathers since about four this morning... *shrugs* And FF isn't up right this moment... so I'm going to answer reviews from memory. Yep, that means that if anyone else reviewed, I hereby formally apologize for not answering it. I also apologize for the stickers all over your windshields. *grins*

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To Cymberleah: *points up* Look, look! Saito! *eyes get shifty* That's all...

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To Colleen: *eyes twinkle* You're still reading? Yay!! And I'm very glad you liked the druggy chapter. *smiles*

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To SaveTheTurkeys: La li ho! *eyes get shifty* Ok, so maybe answering reviews from memory wasn't the greatest idea I have considering my memory... *smiles* But I'm still very, very happy you reviewed!

- In a dark room somewhere with a single lamp hanging overhead- *passes chapter across the table* What do you think, Author Lady? Too many typos? 

Author Lady kills Pigeon.


	31. Prelude to Trouble

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Disclaimer: I own Rurouni Kenshin about at as much as I own Gravitation or Trigun. With that said, I now go to prepare for battle with Watsuki, Nightow, and Maki! *cackles*

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Warning: Ugh.. the pain... the pain... my poor game... I killed the characters...

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Souken no Shibun

Prelude to trouble

Michika was feeling pretty proud of herself as she headed for the inn she and Natsuo would be staying in. Sometime during the night, Natsuo had been nice enough to send word of which hotel they were using, if not where it was. After asking a few people for direction, she finally made it there. She nearly collapsed on the stairs however. She hadn't slept in... She took a moment to mentally calculate it. Two, almost three days... and the only thing she'd had to eat were Kyouki's mochi the day before.

She did manage to drag herself up the stairs, though. Staring at all the seemingly similar doors, she decided the best course of action was to yell until Natsuo came or someone dragged her to her room. At least, that had been the plan until she heard Natsuo's voice from behind the door next to her. She frowned when she realized he was conversing with someone else. She hoped that idiot wasn't planning on handing her over to the Nentou. Even in her weakened state, she'd give the Chushin an ass-kicking he'd never forget. After all, Natsuo was her little brother so she had every right to slap him around.

She reached over and slid the door open, at first only seeing Natsuo as he sat on the floor with his back to her. He looked over his shoulder, blinking curiously, until he saw her. "Hi, Aneki!"

Michika mumbled incoherently and he smiled. "I take things didn't go as planned?" A silent glare was the only response she gave him and he shrugged. As he turned himself to face her, a quick scan didn't reveal the other speaker and Michika started to get worried.

"Did you at least save some food for me?" He nodded and she sighed in relief. "Kami-sama... thank you." He chuckled, watching her use the door to haul herself to her feet. That was when she spied the little blonde hair. Her brow furrowed as two muddy brown eyes peered at her from around the arm she was clinging to. "Natsuo, there a growth on your arm..."

"I know!!" He pulled his arms from the child's grip and wrapping them around her, cuddled the little girl. "Isn't she so cute?!" Michika groaned at she watched his eyes light up with that damn twinkle she had hated so much as kids. The girl only looked to be around six or seven years old...

"Natsuo..."

He frowned. "But I wanna keep her."

"Natsuo, she's not a dog. She's a little girl, and a foreign looking one at that." Natsuo shrugged, ignoring her reasoning. Michika's eye twitched. She was annoyed, but that wasn't enough to give her the energy to smack him just yet. "What are you going to do if her guardians come looking for her?"

"Does it look like anyone's taking care of her?" he asked, pointing to her torn clothing and the dirt that covered her from head to foot. Ok, so maybe there wasn't anyone caring for her. Didn't matter. Natsuo traveled too much to look after a child and Michika would never have time, especially to look after one as seemingly small as her. Michika didn't want to seem heartless, but there was simply no way.

"You can't keep her, Natsuo. First off, she probably doesn't even speak Japanese, and secondly, we're in the middle of a situation that a child simply should not be dragged into." Natsuo rubbed his chin, seeming to think that last bit over.

For all of two seconds. "She stays."

"She goes."

"She stays."

The shoji began to rattle as Michika was forced to put more of her weight. "Only until we can find someone to take care of her."

Natsuo grinned victoriously. "Deal."

Michika grumbled. "Why do I think I just made a deal with the devil..." She pushed off of the door and shakily stepped inside, seeking the food. Natsuo and the little girl watched, chuckling conspiratorially when Michika finally sat herself in front of the tray of leftover food. She glared once more at the two, effectively quieting them. Natsuo headed for the door and motioned for the girl to follow. Michika paid the two little attention as she began stuffing food into her mouth. So immersed in this was she, that she missed the insidious look the young girl gave her before passing out of the room.

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"WHAT?!"

She tore the papers from the old man's hands, quickly scanning over the information written on it and becoming more incensed with every word she read. "But she promised!!" Ignoring the old one's questioning glance, she continued reading. "She wouldn't... he wouldn't dare..." Finished the page of the later, she threw it aside to move onto the second page. "He did!!" The girl's green eyes grew to an immense size as tears poured from them. "How could he?!"

"You know he only wants to protect you-"

"I'm not a little girl anymore! I can take of myself. I've done it before and I can do it again. Why won't he see that?"

She nearly ripped the last page to pieces, but manage to think better of it. Instead, she handed it back to the old man, mumbling to herself. "And with the Sangokudoumei on the move, too..." This wasn't good at all. Their presence there could trigger the very war they were trying to avoid. "Damn." She whirled around and marched towards the door, her mind already set.

"Misao, just what do you think you're doing?"

Misao paused at the door and smiled back at the old man. "What does it look like, Okina? I'm going to Tokyo!"

Without waiting for him to answer, she was out the door and heading down the hall. Okina sighed. It was always like this. He began to wonder if they'd ever change. Shaking his head, the old man stood and leaned his head out the door. He couldn't see Misao, but he knew she'd hear him anyways. She had a bad habit of charging out with a few hundred kunai and no real plan. "Just don't forget to pack your clothes this time!! We don't want a repeat of the Sendai fiasco!" A kunai magically appeared, imbedding itself next to Okina's head. "I mean... have a good time!"

Smartly, he retreated into his room before she came back to retrieve the weapon. 

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A/N: Pyro remembered Pigeon!! But now he's hurt... and what'll Pidge do about the moon girl... argh, it's so confusing... Yes, I'm obsessing! And over something no one has a clue of! I'd almost liken it to the time Kiley shot Knives... almost. It's not quite that earth-shattering. But still... *tears up* Poor Pigeon... *looks around* Did I mention I suck at pool?

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To Cymberleah: *sweatdrops* Yes... that would be a nice phrase... but... then any random person could set her off and that would ruin the point... *grins* Still, it does make an interesting thought... I can see the blood now... *sighs* Oh well, I still have five more phrases to create, ne?

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To SaveTheTurkeys: I already knew what I was going to do with Natsuo... although, I couldn't decide whether or not to put it in this chapter. But then I did, so there you have it. *eyes twinkle* But... another bad guy scene coming soon... and Kaoru's in trouble! *singsongs*

So what do you choose, Author Lady? Spearmint or Cinnamon? Just remember not to swallow when you're done! (Actually… it's a lime gumball)


	32. Forgotten Melodies

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Disclaimer: No, I'm not going to be creative about it today. It's now 6:40am and I don't feel like it. So, no, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

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Warning: *scratches her head* I feel like I'm forgetting something... not that that's unusual...

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Souken no Shibun

Forgotten Melodies

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Kenshin yawned lightly, listening to the pitter patter of the rain as it fell. It was a soothing sound, tempting him to simply close his eyes and return to sleep. He knew that if he didn't get up, Kaoru would cook again and this time she might not have Kyouki to watch over her. That, and considering it wasn't his riverwalk day, it'd be best it he just got up and cooked breakfast himself. Rising from his place against the wall, he stretched and tightened the tie in his hair.

Yahiko was still asleep, muttering some rather new curses he had likely picked up from Sanosuke before the man's disappearance. Strange though that Kaoru was allowing the boy to sleep in when she had that little training regime planned for him. She wasn't in her room though, which didn't bode well for his kitchen. Still, Kenshin couldn't smell anything toxic yet, so there was still hope.

A different sight greeted him though as he entered the kitchen. Kaoru wasn't anywhere near the food, but rather, was standing over an unconscious Kyouki. And beside her... "Sano?"

The spiky haired fighter smiled warmly at him and waved. "Hey," he said simply, acting as if he hadn't been missing for weeks. Kenshin was sorely tempted to knock the man over the head with his sakaba, but his attention was caught by the fact that there appeared to be something wrong with the Shibun member. Kaoru shook her head as she place a cool washcloth on the girl's forehead.

"Just what did you do to her, Sanosuke?!"

"Wha? I didn't touch her. I told you, she attacked and then started going on about pink bunnies." He shrugged. "After that, she just passed out."

"Well, something must have happened. The stuff I put in the tea wouldn't have done this by itself."

The creak of the floorboards as Kenshin stepped further into the room caught Kaoru's attention. She looked up in surprise, a guilty look crossing her face as she realized that it was Kenshin and that he must have heard her. Apparently, she hadn't been paying attention to anything other than Kyouki when Sano greeted him. If anything had happened, Kaoru would have been left to battle the intruders by herself and that made Kenshin frown in obvious disappointment. "Kaoru-dono..."

Kaoru's guilty look immediately transformed into an angry one upon seeing Kenshin's expression. "Do you think I wouldn't have been able to handle the dojo for one night by myself, Kenshin? Contrary to popular belief, I do not need saving all the time. Or is it just that you don't trust me to handle things without your supervision?"

Kenshin blinked, his mouth agape. His mind worked furiously for a response that wouldn't get him killed and wouldn't leave Kaoru angry with him for days. He couldn't tell her that supervision was the problem. She would most likely misunderstand the reasoning behind it in her upset state. It wasn't because he didn't think she couldn't handle herself, it was just that he wanted to be there just in case he was needed. Since she had drugged him, that wouldn't have been possible.

Kyouki groaned from her position against the wall, but both pointedly ignored her in favor of glaring at the other in a contest of wills. Kenshin wanted to protect Kaoru from harm and Kaoru wanted to prove that she could protect herself. Neither was going to give in to the other.

"Nothing happened," Sano cut in, strangely becoming the voice of reason. "How about we leave it at that for now, you two, and tend to the injured girl on the floor. Alright?" The two slowly nodded agreement to this.

Kenshin kneeled beside Kaoru, inspecting Kyouki. "Since she got the same dosage we did, there shouldn't be any reason for her to have passed out like that unless she was more susceptible to it... Where and when was it that you found her, Sano?"

The fighter shrugged. "Not too long after midnight on the road running between here and Chiba. Met her up on the hill coming from Chiba where you're first able to see the lights from Tokyo. It's about an hour's walk from the edge of the city."

Kenshin frowned. "Sessha was talking to her not too long before then. In order to have gotten there when you say, she'd have had to run the entire way, de gozaru yo." Kenshin settled himself more comfortably on the floor, sighing. "Add that to being drugged and that she's still recovering from her concussion, and it's no wonder that she passed out, de gozaru."

Sano whistled appreciatively. "Wow. I know it was dark, but it didn't even look like she was breathing hard. In fact, I think she was singing."

Kenshin rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. "And you say she attacked you..."

"More like she was going to. She starting rambling about pink bunnies before she could, then decided to take a nap."

Kaoru chewed on her lip. "Another episode... and so soon, too."

Kenshin nodded. "Sessha thinks we need to have another talk with Michika-dono."

Sano blinked at their mention of the woman's name, but before he could ask them anything, Kyouki issued another groan, finally waking up. Shielding her eyes, she took a look around at the people surrounding her. "You know, I'm getting tired of passing out. The scenery keeps changing on me." She forced herself to lean forward, away from the support the wall offered. She glanced at Sano, looking him over disinterestedly, before turning her attention to the ache in her head, ignoring Sano's insulted look. "So what did I do this time?"

Kaoru jerked a thumb at the still indignant fighter. "You sang Sano a lullaby, then tried to kill him."

"I never said it was a lullaby..." Sano grumbled.

Kyouki blinked. "Sano...? As in Sagara, the guy that was working with Michika?" She glanced back at Sanosuke, a slightly disbelieving look painted on her features. "You bummed off Michika and lived?"

Sano pointedly ignored the question. "So you don't remember anything about last night? The singing, the bunnies, the attempt on my life?" he asked ever so tactfully.

"No," Kyouki growled, scowling at him.

Kenshin grinned. Ah, the beginnings of another beautiful friendship. "Maa, maa. Perhaps if Kyouki told us what songs she knew of, we might find the one she sang last night. Then we would have some clue to what's going on." He turned expectantly to the girl, who looked at him blankly.

"Two years may seem like a long time, but I can't think of any songs offhand, I'm afraid."

Kenshin thought about that a moment, then turned to the other two. "Perhaps we know of it, de gozaru. What did it sound like, Sano?"

Sano's face dropped. "You actually expect me to be able to tell you?" When he didn't get a response, he grumbled, but thought back, his eyes unfocusing. "Well, it was a little slow. Sounded a little sad, too. At the time, I thought it was in some other language, but I was too far away to really tell."

He grew quiet after that, prompting a look from Kaoru. "Is that all you can tell us?" When he nodded, her eye twitched irritably. "Well, you weren't helpful at all."

"What do you expect?! I have been to sleep yet and I haven't eaten since yesterday."

"I truly hope you're not hinting at the lack of breakfast, Sanosuke," Kaoru growled, "or you may not live to see it." Sano cringed away from the evil glint in Kaoru's eye, knowing the bokken would follow if he so much as opened his mouth.

Kyouki shook her head as Kenshin chuckled, both watching the little scene. Kenshin turned to look at his charge, patting her on the head. "Well, sessha thinks Sano forgives you, Kyouki." She frowned, making him chuckle again. "Really, though... how are you feeling, de gozaru ka?"

"Like I should be chained down or tied up."

Sano's eyes brightened. "Kinky."

"Pervert."

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A/N: It's 6:43... I'd rather giggle insanely than ramble. You are spared. *chuckles* *blinks* Oh wait... ok, anyone who's bothering to read this - if you like Kenshin, Alternate Universe settings, and Sci-fi, go read MaraJadeblu's fic and leave a review! *tears up* She's threatening to discontinue over the lack of reviews... *whines* I don't want her to! *cries*

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To Cymberleah: I'm not evil... the chibi's evil! It's Milgazia and Sanosuke's lovechild!! *cackles* *blinks* Nevermind.

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To MaraJadeblue: *blinks* Read the rest of 27 on the bus, huh? Hmm... what was that again... *checks her list* Oh yeah, the one I worked so hard on... the one I had so many problems typing cause I kept going into giggling fits over Aoshi being the narrator and the truth session at the end. But I finally did get it typed after two days of torment. *pats your shoulder* I hope you had a better go of reading it than I had of writing it. *smiles*

*yawns and clicks mouse button* There... it'll send to Author Lady when she gets on. Then she can wave her magic wand over and send it back. Then I'll be a happy camper. *frowns* Ok, an agreeable camper.


	33. Brewing Storms

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Disclaimer: I t'nod own ti.

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Souken no Shibun

Brewing Storms

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Something must have happened between the two when she wasn't looking.

"Four thousand, nine hundred, and ninety seven," Yahiko sounded off.

The dono... He left off the dono. He never leaves off the dono.

"Four thousand, nine hundred, and ninety eight."

Whatever 'it' was, it must have happened last night when they were on the roof talking. _Damn, knew I should have listened in._ Aside from leaving the honorific off, he wasn't treating her any different and vice versa.

"Four thousand, nine hundred, and ninety nine."

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I could ask her, Kaoru thought as she watched Yahiko swing the shinai back. She got the feeling that conversation between the girl and the rurouni had been private, though. Which meant prying into the subject would be inappropriate. It wasn't fair. How come he'd leave the -dono off for an almost perfect stranger and not her?

"Five thousand." Yahiko allowed the tip of the shinai to drop to the floor, sighing in exhaustion.

Kaoru watched him wipe the beads of sweat from his forehead. _I have to think up some way of approaching the subject without sticking my nose into her private matters._ She didn't hold it against Kyouki, but that the girl had managed something in two days what Kaoru hadn't been able to do in all her time with Kenshin was irritating. It made her want to... want to... "Five thousand more, Yahiko! Try to keep your back straight this time!" She growled at the child before he could protest. "And if I see you so much as twitch the wrong way, you'll be doing a thousand extra swings everyday from now on."

Yahiko paled considerably, meekly beginning the next designated set of katas as Kaoru watched him, fuming over dono's.

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"Do you think it would upset Chushin's plans overly if I visited the little sister?"

Jonah narrowed his eyes at the form he was working on. The whispers of the curtains as they were pushed aside told Jonah that his smaller-statured superior was now standing at the window. Jonah sighed and dropped his pen. _Why do the supply forms have to be so damn confusing?_ He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to ward off the oncoming headache.

The younger man attempted to stifle his chuckles. During his father's leadership, Masatake had been forced to shuffle the same papers. He easily remembered the many varied forms and how confusing they could be. That's why he didn't do them anymore. Jonah did. And now Jonah looked like he should take a breather. "You need a break."

Jonah sighed and leaned back. "Maybe." He dropped his hand and looked to the window. Masatake stood in front of the window watching the storm, as Jonah had suspected. What little light came from it seem to make Masatake's hair look a dull gray and blanketed the man in an aura of sadness.

He wasn't really sad, of course. Everything seemed to be a trick of the light with the Nentou. His coloring, his demeanor... Masatake could find the most favorable lighting so naturally that it made a person wonder about the man sometimes. Still, it was something Jonah found he had to get used to and see past.

Right now, while Masatake did miss his sister, the sense of sadness around him was simply a front to get Jonah to allow him to go. More than likely, he was scheming something. There was rumors that the Rei had lost her memories. If the rumors were true, then there might have to be some re-workings of their plans.

Then again, Masatake could simply be going to annoy Natsuo. Those two were funny like that. Not that you'd ever catch anyone laughing, for fear of getting their heart carved out. In Jonah's personal opinion, if the two weren't so hell-bent on killing each other, they'd probably be friends. Not good friends, but still friends. Still, it was rather amusing watching the two squabble. "In the end, you'll do what you want, with or without my permission."

"I suppose," Masatake replied, a smile tugging at his lips.

Jonah stood and stretched. Even after almost thirty years, he still couldn't get used to the Japanese lifestyle. Sitting on the floor was just so uncomfortable. Which was why he generally did his paperwork in the Nenotu's office unless Masatake needed it for something. "If you really want my opinion... Go, if only to refute those nasty rumors. Just be sure not to make it a lengthy visit."

"We wouldn't want me getting in trouble, now would we?" Masatake grinned, almost relishing the thought of some perverted buffoon coming on to him. Tearing morons like that limb from limb was such a nice way to relieve stress.

"It would be preferable, yes."

Rain was nice. It could wash away even the dirtiest of sins... And it kept most of those aesthetically challenged idiots indoors, meaning he could easily comply with Jonah's wishes. Yes, rain was nice. Rain was also wet. "I'm taking that cloak of yours."

Jonah frowned. "Why not just take an umbr-" Masatake gave him a pointed look and Jonah blinked, reminded of his superiors effeminate looks. "Oh yeah," he snickered, a grin stretching across his face.

"Don't you start, too."

Jonah sobered. "Just be careful. Enemy territory and all that, my friend." Masatake nodded and Jonah waved him away. "Now off with ya." Masatake quietly slipped through the shoji, leaving Jonah to his work. He glared down at the offending papers. "Maybe a break wouldn't be such a bad thing..."

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After Kaoru had gone to wake Yahiko for practice, Kyouki had left to change and to escape Kenshin's fussing. Since she'd been active last night, he insisted that she rest. Which meant in no uncertain terms to stay away from the training hall.

Needless to say, Kyouki wasn't happy. She was supposed to be leaving today. Even with having to wait on Saito's return, she still intended to leave, just later. Now, though, she was once again under house arrest. She had other people she wanted to get a hold of. Kenshin had insisted that they hand the list over to Saito, saying that he could do the same thing, but faster since he could send cops out to find these people. She'd agreed to the idea, but that still hadn't got her permission to leave.

Normally, she would have considered simply taking off after the meeting with Saito. However, this _was_ the Battousai. He could quite easily keep her from leaving if he wanted to. So she'd simply given him a sour look and went to change into a kimono. With nothing else to do, she'd gone to sit out on the porch outside the kitchen and watch the rain. Soon after sitting down, Sano had somehow magically appeared beside her, trying to look unassuming and friendly.

So the two sat in silence, listening to Kenshin move around in the kitchen, while Kyouki waited on Sano to play twenty questions. He didn't disappoint her. "So you're Michika's sister?"

"Apparently."

"You're not what I expected."

"Me either."

Sano arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Kyouki shrugged. "I didn't even know I was her sister until yesterday."

Sano winced. "Talk about shock factor. It must be hard."

Kyouki grinned. "Finding out I'm related to that moron? Definitely." They heard Kenshin snickering in the kitchen, causing a very confused expression to appear Sano's face. Kyouki grinned as she jerked a thumb in the direction of the rurouni. "They didn't get a very good first impression of each other."

Sano blinked. "Really...?"

Kyouki nodded. "Kenshin politely insults Michika while she's taken to calling him Dog-boy."

Sano nearly choked. "You're kidding me!" He started laughing when she shook her head. He nearly fell off the porch when they caught the sound of Kenshin growling. "This I have to see!"

The sound of the gate opening caught their attention and Kyouki smiled. "You just might get the chance."

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Natsuo and the little girl sat, watching their quarry. The girl didn't talk much, on account she didn't appear to speak much of the Japanese language, but she did understand it well enough. Which was good considering she was his contact with the "others". From what he could gather, she'd been sent to watch him for a few days, just to make sure he wasn't going back on the deal he'd made.

That, and one couldn't exactly back-talk a seven year old foreign girl. Everything about her, including the fact that she was just so irresistibly cute, made it hard to be mean and nasty to her like he would any normal messenger. So after finding out her name was Drei (actually, it was something much longer, but Drei was all he could manage to say), he played with her. Games like "Paint the old lady's face" and "Poke strategic holes in the old lady's clothes" seem to amuse the girl greatly. Of course, both of them made sure to keep a watchful eye on the sleeping Michika so they could bolt for the door at the first sign of her waking.

After replacing Michika's perfumed soap with a very stinky herbal one, the two found they were rather bored with everything else the hotel had to offer. After a short discussion, filled with lots of hand signals and bad acting, the two decided it would be more entertaining to crash someone else's house. Or more specifically, the Nentou's.

With the rain and Natsuo's excellent spy skills, the two just knew they could get in and out without anyone's notice. Besides, he'd planned to sneak into the house today anyways, rain or no rain, child or no child. It didn't matter to him. Nothing was going to deter him from his schedule.

It was his self-appointed duty to save the world from evil. If he let something as insignificant as rain and a small child stop him, then his heart simply wasn't as just as he thought it was.

That was how the two ended up where they were now - hiding in a tree outside the manor's back door. Usually, it would have only taken Natsuo all of a minute to get from the outside wall into the house. The child had other ideas when they passed through the gate. She'd seen the pretty garden and taken off.

A short game of hide and seek ensued, but was ended rather abruptly when an guard caught sight of Drei. Natsuo had been forced to knock the man out and drag him off into the bushes. The child thought it was quite funny, watching the man's eyes roll back into his head. She thought it even funnier when Natsuo tried to carry the bigger man off.

They left the man in the some pitfall Natsuo had managed to find. He had then dragged the child up into the tree to get a better vantage point of the grounds. They weren't many guards thanks to the rain and Natsuo had just seen a cloaked Masatake heading off.

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SCORE!! I mean... Thank the powers that - ah to hell with it. Point is, he's gone, right? And he's the only person that would even have a chance of catching me. Natsuo nodded to himself. _This is so great! Now I can raid his safe _and_ his fridge! This is so perfect. I couldn't have planned this better if I tried!_

Natsuo looked down to see Drei frowning at him. He blinked. _What?_ Her frown deepened and he realized what her problem was. _I'm talking to myself again, aren't I? Damn... I thought I kicked that habit a year ago._ He pointed towards the back door and made some faint hand signals. Due to their earlier games, she understood them perfectly. As soon as he'd shimmied down the tree, she jumped, allowing him to catch her, and the two took off towards the door as soon as the coast was clear. The two skidded through the door, quickly removing their wet shoes and carrying them as they passed further into the house.

They hit the kitchen first, as both deemed food more important than espionage at the moment. The little one seemed quite taken with the apples. It was no surprise, considering she was foreign, although Natsuo had absolutely no clue where she was from. _Not that it matters. She's probably just some orphan that got kicked off the random ship she stowed away on._

He searched the cabinets a little longer before coming up with a couple other promising looking items. Both sat quietly on the floor, munching and listening for footsteps. Throwing the remains back in the cabinet, the two high-tailed it out of there and down the hall towards the Nentou's office. As soon as the door was open, both he and Drei stopped, feigned innocence plastered on their faces.

"Good morning, boys and girls. What can I do for you today?" Behind Masatake's desk, Jonah spun around in the chair and locked eyes with Natsuo.

Natsuo rubbed the back of his head and smiled. "Ah, not much. Just allow us access to Masa's safe and forget we were ever here." He laughed nervously and Drei, not knowing what else to do, mimicked him.

Jonah leaned back in his chair, his eyes alight with amusement. "I see. That's a rather tall order." He smiled at Drei, who stopped laughing and began cowering behind Natsuo's legs. "And who's the kid?"

Natsuo grinned. "Her? Why, she's the apple of my eye, the blossom of my heart, the core of my very being!"

Jonah arched an eyebrow. "You just picked her up on the street, didn't you?" Natsuo suddenly felt very uncomfortable. It's not that he thought Jonah knew who the child was, but that was still a little too close to the mark. Jonah sighed. "You always were such a bleeding heart." Natsuo hung his head and Jonah laughed.

"It's not my fault there so many people in need."

Jonah shook his head. "You simply can't help some things, child. Now as to the safe, as much as I've enjoyed seeing you again, I'm afraid I just can't let you open it."

Natsuo's shoulders slumped forward, making Drei comfortingly pat his leg. "I see..."

Jonah leaned forward, smiling. "However... this meeting never happened."

Natsuo waved pathetically in thanks and slowly turned to leave, taking Drei's hand to lead her out. He should have known Jonah would be in here. Jonah was always in here. _Well, except when he was in the sitting room. Or on a mission. Or in the bath... or... ARGH! Why couldn't be in one those places!? Is a_ little_ good luck too much to ask for?!_

"One thing before you go."

__

YES!!! Natsuo looked calmly over his shoulder, his demeanor quite the opposite of his thoughts. "Yes?" he asked cooly.

"_Temporarius_." Natsuo stood there and blinked in confusion as Jonah turned away, ignoring his presence. After a moment, realization clicked and Natsuo grinned. Nodding in thanks to Jonah, he gathered Drei and their shoes into his arms and took off.

__

Just you wait, Masatake! Good will prevail over your evil! Then I'll have cake! Mmm... cake...

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A/N: Oo, it's actually raining... whee...

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To Cymberleah: Technically, you're the only one reading this right now. *nods*

And so you get to beta once again before... doing whatever it is you do.


	34. Meeting of the Minds

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Disclaimer: === this means that I don't own, have never owned, and probably never will own Rurouni Kenshin.

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Souken no Shibun

Meeting of the Minds

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The cloaked figure passed through the gates, the unassuming aura setting alarms bells off in the heads of the two people watching, though for vastly different reasons.

No one _ever_ came to the Kamiya Dojo without wanting _something_. However, this traveler appeared to be lost. Sano was immediately suspicious. Ranging from Saito to Tsubame, people always came with a purpose. As Sano watched the hood of the cloak move, as if the person were looking around, he knew something was up. If this person had come here to do some damage, they were gonna find themselves on the wrong end of a Futae no Kiwami.

Kyouki was just naturally suspicious. Due to her small size, loner nature, and the fact that she was female, she was constantly set upon by people who wanted her money. Or other things. It really didn't help her perception of the world all that much. The only person she hadn't distrusted outright was Kenshin. _That_ was only because she was a little preoccupied with being injured and stealing from the unconscious man's pocket. Some people might call her extreme mistrust of strangers a phobia, but Kyouki preferred to see it as simply being careful.

Neither of the two made a sound to announce their presence to the visitor, but their sudden silence seemed enough to bring Kenshin from the kitchen. Kenshin took only a moment to observe the situation, then calmly walked out into the rain to greet the cloaked person, coincidentally placing himself between the visitor and the path leading to the dojo. "Welcome to the Kamiya Dojo. Is there something we can help you with, de gozaru ka?"

"As a matter of fact, there is." The three could hear the smile in the other's voice, a voice seeming to ooze with sincerity and warmth. "Could we get in out of the rain first? I think it's finally beginning to soak through this cloak here." The figure held up the dripping cloak as proof, though no one seemed to bother looking at it.

Sano whispered something Kyouki who nodded and began making her way towards the dojo. The fighter then stood and made his way over to stand beside Kenshin, glaring openly at the newcomer. "Look, we're kind of busy, so if you've got business here, spit it out."

"Oh, is that so? Well, that's too bad." The figure brought the hood of the cloak back, revealing hair braided over one shoulder that appeared a dull gray in the stormy light. The rain had indeed soaked through the cloak, plastering the fringe of bangs to their face. The paleness of the figure's coloring brought out their darker shade of their mahogany eyes, however.

Kenshin blinked while Sano blatantly stared. When he remembered himself, Sano dropped his gaze to his feet, trying to hide his blush. "She's beautiful," he murmured, almost to himself.

Kenshin arched an amused eyebrow at his friend. "It's a guy, Sano..."

Sano frowned and looked over to the visitor for confirmation of this statement. _He_ nodded _his_ head and smiled. Feeling more than a little embarrassed, Sano quietly excused himself and ran after Kyouki.

The man chuckled slightly. Before Kenshin could apologize, the man waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. I get that all the time." He brushed some of the water from his bangs as he continued. "I'm sorry to disturb you if you're busy, but I heard Hisakata-san could be found here."

Kenshin nodded slowly nodded, again alerted to the fact that this was an unexpected stranger. "Yes, Kyouki is staying with us."

The man gaze Kenshin a dazzling smiled. "Oh, that's wonderful! My name's Moriyasu Masatake and I was wondering if I might speak with her."

Kenshin gave Masatake one of his clueless rurouni smiles. "Sessha is afraid that won't be possible. You see, she was injured and we have strict orders from the doctor not to put her under _any_ stress, de gozaru."

Masatake's face fell. "Injured, you say?! That's terrible. I'd hate to make everyone's go against the doctor's orders, but this is really very important. You see, I have news of her mother..."

Kenshin blinked. "Kyouki's mother?"

Masatake nodded. "Yes. Hisakata-sama, who lived in the village of Takayama, in the mountains northeast of here. The poor woman was sick for years and I've been her caretaker. We lost contact with Kyouki about two years ago, though. I'd have gone looking for her, but I was unable to leave Hisakata-sama's side." The man's expression took on a forlorn look. "That is, until recently..."

"So she's passed on, then."

The other nodded. "Yes. I've been looking for Kyouki-san since then. Weeks have gone by and I'd nearly given up. But then, I was eating in this homely little restaurant when I overheard her name in a conversation between some of the employees."

Kenshin gave the man a sympathetic look, hiding his festering doubts. "What restaurant, de gozaru ka? We'll have to thank them for sending you here, Moriyasu-san."

Masatake's face lit up with a hopeful look as he gave Kenshin that brilliant smile again, obviously meant to put the receiver at ease. Kenshin gestured for the young man to walk beside him as the two made for the sitting room. "When did you become Hisakata's caretaker, de gozaru ka?"

The other didn't hesitate the slightest in answering. "About a year before Kyouki-san disappeared. Kyouki-san found me after I'd been attacked by bandits and the two nursed me back to health. In gratitude, I helped them and took care of Hisakata-sama." Masatake sounded completely sincere in his answer and even his tone was utterly respectful of the two women he spoke of. It really made Kenshin want to believe him.

Masatake looked over the house as they entered, wrinkling his nose slightly before he caught himself. "It's... lovely." Kenshin saw it, but decided it was best to put aside the insult to his cleaning abilities for the time being. He lead Masatake to the sitting room and pointed the man inside. "If you'll just make yourself comfortable, sessha will see if Kyouki feels up to talking to you, de gozaru yo."

As he shut the door, Masatake sighed. "There must be some way to stop these defections... maybe some cheery slogans." He looked around, wrinkling his nose again as he fiddled with his braid. "Then again, Jonah could be right. Maybe they just need some more sugar in their tea."

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Aoshi slipped through the building, ever mindful of the people around him. He passed door after door, moving from shadow to shadow so naturally, none knew of his presence. He had completed his assigned task and was now returning to his current residence of his 'employer'. He had wisely used time out on the mission to send word back to the others. And if he knew Misao, she was on her way to Tokyo, just as he had planned.

She had no clue, of course. If he had told Misao, her reactions to everything wouldn't be as natural. With as emotional as the girl could be, replicating her first impression of things was quite difficult sometimes. Another day would pass and Okina would receive another letter. The _real_ one this time, although if he knew the old man, Okina had already guessed the other letter's intentions.

The real letter would explain his need for Misao at the Kamiya dojo and also of their partner's current dealings. All were very important and all were things Misao didn't need to know just yet. The letter did instruct Okina to pass the information along to the other units of the Oniwabanshuu with priority placed on the members in the Tokyo area.

Aoshi stopped at as he passed one of the glass windows, hiding himself behind a curtain as he looked out. The blonde haired man again. Strange, Aoshi had been here for months without seeing any foreigners, but that man had appeared here three times in the past few weeks. There were no new dealings going on that Aoshi knew of, although it wouldn't surprise him if the employer had tried to keep this from him. Still, even with the information he was getting from other places, there was as yet no explanation for this man's presence here. Not to mention, the man always seem to be on his way out when Aoshi was on his way in.

Which made Aoshi think he wasn't supposed to know about the blonde man. This also implied that his cover had been blown to some degree or that these people at least suspected that his loyalties lay elsewhere. It didn't make much difference to the Oniwa's purpose here in the end. After all, Aoshi was only here on reconnaissance, not to tear the place apart. Knowing an enemy's weakness was key to defeating them.

Aoshi watched as the blonde man climbed into a carriage which quickly sped off as soon as the door was closed. Though sorely tempted to trail the carriage, Aoshi had a job to do here. There was one other Oniwa stationed here with Aoshi. In the kitchens, to be more specific. Something about kitchens always seemed to be the best place to put spies. It made Aoshi wonder for a moment how many of the other kitchen staff actually worked for his employers...

He made a note to check on that later. Anyways, Aoshi could probably have the other Oniwa member send a message out to have the carriage followed. Since he was about to pass by there on his way to the western wing of the building, it wouldn't pose a problem. A few quick words and he was on his way, traipsing once again down the halls.

Finally, he stopped before a set of double oak doors, flowing designs carved into the mahogany surface. His trenchcoat whispered through the air behind him as he passed through the doors unnoticed. He quietly closed the doors so as not to disturb the man behind the desk. He watched the other fiddle with the chair he was in, mumbling something about American oddities. The man eventually looked up and started at Aoshi's appearance before him.

"Ah, back already, I see. Good, good." The man pushed around few papers on the desk, an annoyed look passing across his face. "Now where did I put that..." He shuffled a few more things before coming across whatever it was he'd been seeking. Aoshi found he was slightly disgusted with the man's disorganization. The man was terribly inefficient and it made it hard to believe that this was one of he four most powerful men in the underground.

The man snatched up a paper from one of the piles and squinted at it, a victorious smile spreading across his face. "Here it is. Blasted paper. I'd almost think it was trying to hide from me." He passed to Aoshi, making sure to actually hand it to the ninja, not set it back down on the table where it could be lost again. "We've made a deal with this man. However, we're not completely sure of his loyalties, or if he even has any for that matter."

The man muttered something about the lack of honor in the youth these days before continuing. "We've already sent someone along to him as a warning. You are to observe his actions. If they prove counterproductive to our cause, kill him and our informant, as well. We have no further use for her."

Aoshi nodded his head slightly as he pocketed the paper that had been handed to him. This was nothing new. Of course, he didn't kill everyone he was told to. Some were sent to safehouses where they would remain for the time being. Others, such as rebellious yakuza leaders, were of no consequence. Japan was better off without such people tainting it. Soon enough, the time would come for this man to die as well. However that would not be today.

The other smiled warmly at Aoshi, who simply gave the man his usual icy stare. "I think that it's for now." He scratched his head. "I don't remember the other two mentioning anything else that needed to be done."' He shrugged and smiled again. "Oh well. If anything does come up, we'll just send someone to contact you."

Aoshi turned on his heels and headed for the door at his usual pace. He was stopped short, though. "Oh, and Yuki-san? Be a little more careful about those windows." Aoshi said nothing, he simply continued on his way out.

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Misao stormed down the road, just as she'd been doing for the past day since Okina had received Aoshi's letter. Thankfully, she'd done as Okina had asked and stopped to pack. It meant that she didn't need to stop for anything. Even sleep seemed unnecessary in the face of her anger at the moment.

One day some man appears on the Aoiya's doorstep and requests a meeting with Aoshi. It was granted only because the man knew that Aoshi had been the okashira of the Oniwa and that he supposedly had information regarding the Shibun.

The man and Aoshi had gone up to the temple to talk, not returning until late into the night. Aoshi had then simply packed and left, leaving a few instructions with the old pervert, Okina. Nobody had even bothered to wake her to say goodbye to Aoshi. She was told in the morning after the love of her life was long gone. She had only accepted this news and stayed because Aoshi was off on business concerning the Shibun.

Misao knew about the Shibun, of course. She was the current okashira, after all. She had been tempted to offer the return of the position to Aoshi, but he'd made it clear at the time that he wouldn't even consider leading the Oniwa again. Not until he was satisfied with whatever he was seeking within his own heart.

So she hadn't bothered him. Okina and the others helped her with learning the finer points of leading the ninjas and Aoshi agreed to take on some of his former responsibility until Misao could handle it. So really, in a way, it was like the Oniwa had two okashiras now. Misao personally thought she'd come very far in learning how to lead the clan which was why she felt insulted that no one had even woken her up to tell her such important news about the Shibun.

Well, she'd show them. She'd go get Kyouki and the two would clear up the whole mess by themselves. Misao had made friends with the girl some time ago, finding out that she was also after the same goal as the Oniwa. Kyouki hadn't mentioned why, though, now that Misao thought about it. Not that it made any difference to her right now.

Kyouki seemed to have a level enough head and the girl could apparently get anyone to talk, even about things they weren't supposed to. So she'd come in handy in the information department. Misao, of course, would take on the responsibility of actually beating the bad guys. Then everyone would hail them as heroes and perhaps Aoshi would finally respond to her love for him. "Oh, Aoshi-sama..."

Misao stopped to stare at the sky, only just now noticing that it was raining and she was soaking wet. "Wow, when did that happen?" That was when she noticed the drunken laughter. It was nearby and Misao seemed compelled to follow the sound. As she peered through some bushes, she surveyed the scene. Trees, trees, bushes, stream, camp full of drunken bandits, more trees... wait. Bandits? And drunk to boot? Oh, this was too easy.

A few quick flicks of her wrists and the bandits were unknowingly pinned to the ground. She grinned in anticipation as she climbed the nearest tree. Climbing onto the current limb of choice, she ran deftly across the slick branch and jumped into the air, landing a perfect flying kick on the face of the least drunken bandit there.

The others dropped their drinks in surprise, simply staring for a moment before one finally found his tongue. "Who the hell are you?!"

Misao turned to face them, one hand on her hip. "You scum don't deserve to know the name of Makimachi Misao!" The bandits sweatdropped. "Now, hand over all your money!"

"'Wha..? Get lost, you little rat!"

"'She looks like a drowned weasel if you ask me."

"Maybe we could sell her. Surely we could get at least a few yen out of her."

The assumed leader of the group waved hand, silencing the still sitting group of men. "We're not just going to hand our loot over to some helpless little girl because she says so. Just what is it you think you can do?"

Misao grinned. "Helpless am I?" She brought up two handfuls of kunai, light glinting evilly off them as lighting arced across the sky. "Try me."

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Ah, the wonders of being the bad guy. It was just so much fun sometimes. Oh, the suspicious looks Masatake had been getting from everyone were rather obvious, but they hadn't really suspected who he was. Only that he would be troublesome. Not being one to pick a fight though, the Battousai, or rather Kenshin, had played nice and been the good host.

Kyouki had come only as far as the yard in front of the sitting room doors before refusing to go further. Kenshin obviously wasn't going to push her into going farther due to his mistrust of Masatake, but it didn't matter. He'd heard her voice and went out to greet her. The taller man, Sagara Sanosuke, if Masatake remembered correctly, began teasing Kyouki, trying to goad her into some kind of action. Kyouki had told him to be quiet, but the man persisted and the situation dwindled into a raging argument.

Masatake looked on, rather disappointed by the scene. The argument itself was amusing to watch, but it was pathetic to watch her trying to get her way by simply yelling at him. It only helped to prove the rumors. Perhaps they weren't rumors, after all. Two years ago, if she had told the man to be quiet, he would have been. This supposed memory loss was probably the result of the Karada's meddling. If that were the case, then it might not be memory _loss_... but rather, more like the memories had been sealed away.

If they were sealed, that meant there was a chance of recovering them. It wouldn't be easy, though. Watching Kyouki continue the argument rather than killing Sagara was evidence that Michika had done a little re-programming as well. It was generally said that to be direct was for the best. So that was what he would be. He patted the folds of his cloak to be sure the item he'd brought was still there before clearing his throat.

All three heads turned his direction almost immediately. Kyouki and Kenshin looked on with eyes narrowed, while Sagara quickly averted his gaze when looked upon, a slight embarrassed blush coloring his cheeks. Masatake managed to keep from chuckling. Between this guy and Kyouki, the good guys were doomed by their own members, especially if Michika joined their ranks.

One would normally assume the old Natsuo would as well. The Natsuo Masatake knew now, though, was all about controlling the board, much like Masatake himself. Masatake doubted that Natsuo would swear loyalty to _any_ of the opposing sides. Thus he became an undetermined factor, a wild card no matter what the situation. Sooner or later, someone would kill him, though.

For now, it was best to concentrate on the matter at hand. Kyouki narrowing her eyes at any threatening person was normal. He needed something more than that to prove her lack of memory. _Let's try something simple._ "Hello, sister." The looks of momentary shock displayed identically on three separate faces as he so blatantly revealed his identity was rather funny. Then Kenshin tensed, Kyouki glared, and Sagara's mouth seemed to come unhinged before he could stop himself.

"Nentou," the girl breathed through clenched teeth.

Officially confirmed, her memories were sealed. Kyouki had never called him by his Shibun name. _Damn._ Masatake waved a hand reassuringly in their direction, although he doubted they felt all that much better for the gesture. Oh well. "I'm not here to hurt anybody. I was telling the truth when I said I only wanted to talk to Kyouki. And if so desired, I will even give her some news about her mother. I'm afraid the news will be several years old, though, as the poor woman died quite some time ago. I hear poison can do that to some people."

Sano bristled. "You... bastard..."

Masatake took on a hurt expression. "I did not have a hand in the death of Kyou-chan's mother." He looked up at the sky and smiled. "Well, technically." He shrugged. "I admit, I may have leaked to a servant who the woman's family had been before her association with the Souken." The Nentou shook his head. "Who knew the revenge-seekers would come in droves like that? It was rather unsightly." He smiled proudly at Kyouki. "Even untrained, your mother defended well against her attackers." He sighed. "Ah, but a ninja finally got her."

Masatake clasped his hands behind his back and smiled again. Kenshin was still tensed and Kyouki was still glaring. Sagara was the only one that appeared to be very animated. Unless one counted the rain, of course. Funny, the three of them seemed to have forgotten they were standing in it. It certainly wouldn't be his fault if they caught their death of cold. He had, after all, suggested they get in out of the rain earlier. The three appeared soaked to the bone by now, making them look like a comical trio of drowned rats.

He shrugged his thoughts away and returned his attention to doing what he came here to do. "Perhaps, in this case, honesty would be best." It really was hard to keep one's evil, intimidating composure when the people in front of him had little drops of rain hanging from their noses, making them all look so horribly cute. "I only came here to ascertain whether you had truly lost your memories, but also to give you a present."

Masatake pulled a sheathed sword from within his cloak, taking care to hold it so as not to have his intent misunderstood. The saya was pure black, as was the hilt, with a few simple designs done in silver near the hilt. He lightly tossed it to Kyouki, who caught it simply out of reflex.

She glanced down at it, then back up to him confused. "I don't understand."

Masatake pointed a pale finger up at the sword. "It belongs to you. Considering you've been without it for two years, I thought you might be happy to have it returned."

Sano sniffed. "Why give her the weapon she's most comfortable with? She could just turn around and use it on you."

Masatake smirked. "I very much doubt that. I think Michika would've taken away Kyou-chan's desire to kill except in the most desperate of situations. If she hadn't, I'm sure that annoying Karada would've been dead by now." Masatake almost laughed when he saw Kenshin's mouth trying to twitch into a smile. "Besides, I have safeguards against that sort of thing anyways."

Any trace of warmth there had been in Masatake's smile seeped away with his last statement, setting the other three on edge again. What fools. They were still expecting _him_ to attack them. Weren't they going to be surprised? _I think rainy days shall henceforth become my favorite days._ Just as he opened his mouth to say something, another voice floated across the yard of the dojo.

"_Temporarius._"

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A/N: Uhh... blargh?

Go Author Lady! Go forth and beta so that mankind may be spared my typos!


	35. A Little Get-Together

Michika yawned loudly and sat up. Something felt wrong. Problem was, figuring out what 'wrong' was. It could have been anywhere from the absence of a certain younger brother to the strange itch on her face. All compounded, it meant that Michika was waking up on the 'wrong side of bed'. She yawned and stretched, slipping the covers off as she padded over to the only window in the hotel room.

Opening it, she judged it must have been about midday. It was a bit hard though, considering the way those clouds were darkening the sky. She held a hand out, catching some of the warm rain in her hand and stared at it. After a moment, she let the water dribble through her fingers and shut the window, muttering something insulting about the rain.

Opening her pack, she pulled out the first piece of clothing and changed, her sleep-hazed eyes not registering much. She grabbed some of the left-over food and munched on it as she searched the hotel for her brother and his pint-sized companion. She asked a couple of the other wandering patrons if they had seen Natsuo and the child, but other than recieving a few strange looks, no one knew where the two were.

Finally realizing he'd probably gone off to annoy Masatake again, she rested her head against the wall by their room. Then began banging it against said wall. He still had the child with him. He was going to the manor... with the child. That wasn't a very smart idea on Natsuo's part and she'd have to beat him for it the next she saw him. Possibly torture him if the let the child die.

__

What was he hated most again? Kyouki was pink bunnies, Masatake was perverted men... oh yeah! She grinned in spite of her bad mood, trying to ignore that draft. Someone must have left a window open somewhere. At least, that was what she thought until a passing old lady kindly informed her that she needed to check the back of her kimono. The aging woman left, chuckling, and Michika did as directed. The scream of pure fury that rang through the inn shortly after convinced anyone eating lunch in the dining room that it was time to go.

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"_Temporarius._"

Masatake hissed as he spotted Natsuo perched on the wall, a small blonde child next to him. He quickly turned his attention to Kyouki, though. Seeing this, Kenshin and Sano did as well. Kyouki stared back in silence. A minute later, they blinked at each other shaking their heads. "What..." Kyouki asked, trailing off.

Sano scratched his head and shrugged. "Got me."

Masatake nodded to himself, as if assured of something and smirked. Up on the wall, Natsuo groaned and slapped his forehead. "I must have gotten the inflections wrong. Damn." The small girl beside him snickered and he sent a quieting glare her way.

Kenshin tilted his head to get a better look at the Chushin. "Just what was it you were hoping would happen, de gozaru ka?"

Natsuo swung his legs as he sat comfortably on the wall. "Oh, nothing much. Really."

Masatake sniffed. "That idiot was trying to send Kyouki into a sort of controled bersek mode. A bit of an oxymoron, perhaps, but true, nevertheless." The Nentou shook his head. "You should toy with things you don't understand, mongrel."

Natsuo rolled his eyes. "So my mother always said." He yawned, ignoring the glare he was getting from Sano. He whispered something in the child's ear and her eyes grew wide and she stared down at the fighter, making Sano arched a curious eyebrow at the two. As Natsuo pulled away, she suddenly burst into giggles, nearly sliding from her precarious perch.

Sanosuke growled. "So who's this guy? And what's with the kid?"

Everyone stared at him as if he'd grown a second head. Then Kenshin smiled. "Oh, that's right. You don't know, yet, de gozaru."

Kyouki frowned. "But he knows Michika."

"Yes, but that doesn't imply he would be able to recognize them on sight, de gozaru yo."

"Ah, you have a point."

Kenshin smiled at the girl. "Sessha will let you explain this time, de gozaru."

"Coward," she mumbled under her breath. Kyouki pointed at the pair perched on the wall. "He's the Chushin."

They all sat in silence while Sano stared dumbly at Kyouki, trying to digest the information. "He's..." he looked over at the younger man, still sitting with the child, "...the Chushin?" Kyouki nodded slowly. Sano frowned, furrowing his brow. "But... he's an idiot." Again, Kyouki nodded. "And he's so girly looking." Kyouki just sighed this time while Kenshin resisted smacking the taller man. Finally, Sano shook his head. "I get the feeling the future of Japan is going to be full of girly bishounen assassins waging war in the streets..." Sweatdrops all around was the only response to this statement.

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Misao sat proudly on the throne the bandits had erected for her after she kicked their butts into submission. Now the bandits were carrying her in the chair on the last stretch of her journey to the Kamiya Dojo. There were a few strange looks, partly from the few people who'd never seen Misao before and partly because she had six men carrying her like an empress.

Just as they were passing one of the many inns in Tokyo, a woman streaked from the building, her feet carrying her directly into their path. The men skidded to a halt, jarring Misao a bit, but she didn't complain. They were all a little pre-occupied staring at the woman as she raced down the street, coincidently heading straight for the Kamiya Dojo.

Misao blinked. "The back of her kimono was..." The men nodded stupidly, having never been witness to such an event before. Misao shook her head, clearing it, and pointed imperiously down the path the woman had taken. "Follow that bare-assed woman!"


	36. Chess Pieces

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Souken no Shibun

Chess Pieces

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Aoshi's eyes swept over what was quickly becoming a congregation of currently some of the best fighters in Japan. Kamiya stood off to the side unnoticed with the child known as Myoujin, yet she was one of the strongest female swordfighters in Japan. For a mere child, Myoujin was not too bad himself. However, both insisted on using those wooden swords all the time.

Then came Misao, dear little Misao with her kunai who was hopelessly loyal to a fault. In front of her, looking as if she had run a mile, stood the Karada. Strangely, the rear of her kimono had been cut out and she was desperately trying to obscure that fact by pulling the kimono up to cover her. According to reports she used staffs as her weapon of choice.

The next group consisted of Himura, Sagara, and the Rei. Himura, with his pacifistic ideals, still used that sakabatou, of course. It was hard to believe simply looking at the diminutive redhead that he held the title of the strongest swordsman in Japan. This illusion of weakness was what has allowed Himura to win many a battle without incident. Then there was Sagara, the streetfighter and mercenary, who had once been known as the Zanza. He had given up his old ways, though, in favor of joining the ranks of the Kenshin-gumi. One had to respect the fighter's ability to quickly copy hand-to-hand combat techniques that would take most people lifetimes to learn. Then came the Rei, or Hisakata Kyouki, as she went by now. She had been trained to closely imitate the Battousai, a feat considering that not many people even knew the name of his style, let alone lived long enough to see it. Due to this, it was only her basic techniques that seemed to match Himura's. No one had yet to see her true style. According to the reports circulating, she had lost her memory, though.

On the porch, protected from the rain, was the Nentou. The man rarely fought his own battles, preferring to talk his way out or send someone else to fight in his place. One would naturally assume from this that the man himself was weak or untrained. However, that was not the case. The Nentou knew this assumption would be made and _appeared_ weak. In truth, he was quite strong. This was known only because he had finally slipped a few years back, letting his emotions get the better of him and slaughtered one of his subordinates. Apparently, he was left-handed. His weapons of choice during that battle had been a combination of a shakuhachi flute and a rather large tanto.

Up on the wall, mussing a small child's hair, was the Chushin. There wasn't much information on him simply because he hadn't done much other than make few shady deals, train, and get in the way of the Nentou's plans since his departure from the Shibun. He was said to use a pair of traditional sais in most fights, though. However, he didn't carry them openly and no one could seem to pinpoint where on his person the weapons were hidden.

All in all, it meant that if things got out of hand down in that dojo yard, there was going to be one of hell of a fight. However, considering the Nentou's tendency to walk away from such situations and Himura's ability to talk most people out of what they were planning, Aoshi didn't think it would come to that. His job right now was simply to sit and watch things unfold. Hopefully, the one he was sent to watch would behave themselves according to the Sangokudoumei's guidelines. Otherwise, trying to kill him with Himura present would be impossible.

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"Looks like we've got a party going on here." Sano cracked his knuckles in anticipation, just itching for a good fight. The last few battles with those yakuza had been disappointing. From the looks of it, it was everyone against the Nentou. The odds weren't all that fair, but hey, he was the bad guy. They weren't supposed to be fair.

The building tension in the yard was brutally interrupted though when Michika let out a rather animalistic howl and rushed the wall Natsuo was sitting on. The soon-to-be victim simply blinked, looking about as confused as they come until Michika neared his position. Then a smile spread across his face. "Oops." He snickered and Michika skidded to a halt, allowing everyone present a view of just what was wrong with her.

Her hair had been cut in various places, her face painted strangely, and she was hiding the rather large hole in her clothing. "Why do I even bother trusting you?!" she screeched, stomping a foot.

Natsuo hugged the little girl beside him and both pasted identical pouts on their faces. "We were just having a little fun, Aneki."

Making sure that the back of her kimono was secure, she brought a hand up to yank on a piece of her massacred hair. "This is not fun! This is annoying! Do you know how long it took me to grow this stupid mane?" Michika released her hair and tugged on her kimono to bring attention to it. "And you cut holes in every single one of my kimonos! This was the most decent one I could find..." Michika's eyes began to water and she sniffled loudly.

The small blonde child tugged on Natsuo's sleeve to get drag his attention from his sister for a moment and made a few hand signals. Natsuo blinked, then chuckled. "You are so right." He pointed at Michika. "Like my companion here suggested, you could have just worn more then one. Then you wouldn't be dealing with... a draft."

Michika reddened, both from anger and embarrassment one could easily assume. Picking up a rock by her foot, she hurled it at her brother, hitting him directly in the center of his forehead. Grabbing his forehead, Natsuo lost his balance and fell backwards off the wall, a small grunt issuing to announce his landing. The little blonde kid crawled on her hands and knees to look over the edge and laughed at the fallen man. So she never noticed the other rock Michika was aiming at her rear until it was too late. The child's eyes widened as she too went over the edge, another small grunt coming from Natsuo as the kid landed on top of him.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and standing there silent for a moment. Then she sprung into action, picking up every stray object on the ground around and flinging it over the wall to land on the pair. At some point, she even began pitching Misao's bandits over when she ran out of things on the ground. Misao had started to complain, then realized they were just bandits and began helping.

As for everyone else... They seemed to be cheering this on in their own ways. Both Kenshin and the Nentou were wearing huge grins, Kyouki screamed for more, and Sano was doubled over, laughing. He'd never seen Michika so pissed in all the time he'd spent with her. Then again, she'd hadn't had her assets displayed to the world then either. He wondered if, in her zeal to punish, she realized she had let go of her kimono.

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A/N: *cries* You're not going to believe this but... I'm currently not on the internet!!! *sighs* Y'see, there this nice bill that says I need to pay the internet people before they give it back. *turns out empty pockets* But I got nothing. Oh well. Doing what I can. I don't have much time left on right now as it is. Blech. So here's another chappie. Yes, it's short, I know. *drops to knees, begging forgiveness* *shakes head* And no... I have no idea when I'll be able to get back on again. Soon I hope, though. *strikes a pose* Even if it means I have to go out and work the night shift at Whataburger! *shivers*

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MaraJadeBlu: *refrains from attaching herself to your leg* You won't believe how very happy seeing that review makes me... *sniffles* I wrote chappie when FF was down... but right after I uploaded it, the internet thing happened. Grr. But here's another. For now. Don't worry, I'll keep writing and post when I get the chance... however that chance may come. *draws up plan to raid one of chibi-friend's houses* Hehehehe...

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To Luce: *eyes twinkle* O.o New person... That's... new... to me. *sweatdrops* As for exactly how I came up with it, I'm not entirely sure. I remember being hyper and wanting someone to make Kenshin drunk. Then this popped in my head. It was the only thing I could think of for a bit, so I worked on it, then shoved it onto to FFnet. Poor FF. *continues reading review* Wow... so much praise in one fell swoop. I'm honored you think I've done so well. Except for certain chapters, I thought I did a horrible job. Eh, but I think that way of just about everything I churn out. *hangs head* So I can never really tell what's good and what's not. That's why I bug other people for their opinions. *tears up* That review made me soooo happy! AnD sLeEp... I know of this sLeEp you SpEaK of... Something I should be getting right now considering it's 10am and I haven't been to sleep yet... *sweatdrops some more* Anyways... thanks for reading, hope you stick around!

Thanks to Cymberleah for pre-reading as always!

(Yes, it was a long A/N... but I'm talkative cause I have no clue when I'll be back on... or when I'll be dragging my ass to bed. *waves* Ja ne!)


	37. Somber Rain

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Souken no Shibun

Somber Rain

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"Well, with that done, I think I shall leave now." Masatake pulled the heavy cloak tighter about him as he stepped off the porch, once again under assault by the warm rain and murderous glares. Ah, well. It wasn't as if he was expecting a warm reception. Still, they could be a little nicer. It wasn't as if he had attacked them. Surely, their hatred was based purely on what had been told to them. However, these people didn't seem that shallow. If not that, though, then what?

No one barred his path to the gate, making him slightly more confident in the idea that there was something else upsetting them. It wasn't that he actually cared about their opinions. Well, most of them anyway. To have them this alert in his presence was a bit of an annoyance, though. Something would have to be done about that. "One word of advice, sister dears, before I go. Watch out for the Sangokudoumei. I'd feel rather put out if they killed you before I could."

He slipped through the gate, pulling it closed behind him as softly as he could manage, wincing internally when it creaked. He stood there a moment, trying to decide whether the visit had been worth the time he'd taken away from more important matters. He found the rumors to be true, been surrounded by people who wanted him more or less dead (though he suspected it was more, rather than less), and had nearly been the target of one of Kyouki's berserker furies.

He peered down the road, spotting his carriage swiftly approaching. Only one more errand to run, then he could go home. Return to his boring paperwork, the ever-present pressure of leadership, and Jonah's unwavering support. He was jolted out of his thoughts as the carriage quickly pulled up alongside him, inadvertently splashing him. He sputtered and glared at the driver. Oh, today was turning out to be just peachy and it was only mid-morning. Joy.

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Giving the report a cursory glance before sitting back in her chair, the woman rubbed her temples, trying to dispel the headache that seemed almost physical in its presence. The damn thing crept up on her about an hour ago; about the same time the meeting in the report had taken place. The headache was a reoccurring thing and at this point, not unexpected. It always seemed to happen when either of her children was in danger. Normally, one would write it off as motherly instinct, except that there was nothing the least bit motherly about the ash-blond. She personally considered it a curse and highly annoying.

As it was, the headache only served to distract her from work she desperately needed to get done. As the only female head of the underground, she had to take extra precautions to protect her very life, let alone her position. That she looked like a foreigner certainly didn't help her case any, but she was competent, cautious, and took care of her people. Usually. She had been known to randomly shoot people when she was in a particularly foul mood, but she was always miraculously forgiven for the loss of life and manpower. It was certainly nothing unusual for her. Before the long list of complex events that had transpired, allowing her to be sitting here, she was the only daughter of a noble family. She could do no wrong.

From top to bottom, relatively speaking. She was now wealthier beyond her noble family's wildest dreams, but society deemed those of the Underground to be the scum of the earth. It was a reputation well deserved, she supposed, when speaking generally.

Staring down at the jumbled words of the report, she frowned. As the headache receded, more of the page in front of her became understandable. So _she_ had been there. The blond had hoped that one was dead, but apparently not. It had been what… two years? It had certainly been a while since that raid on the Sangokudoumei's headquarters. Then there were these others… Too many factors were being added to an already over-loaded equation, making the foreseeable future a little less predictable. Although it was something she was used to, the ash blond did so hate to have uninvited guests crashing the party. It simply wasn't polite. While bothersome, these new additions to her workload wouldn't hinder her. It simply meant she'd have to confer with her associates and decide whom best to send to eliminate the problem.

*******************************************************************

Everyone just seemed content to stand in silence, puzzling through their confusion as best they could. The late-comers were still trying to sort out exactly just what had occurred and knowing only that it was something important. Kenshin and Sano were both busy trying to figure out why their apparent enemy would place himself in such danger to deliver a simple sword to Kyouki.

The sword-bearer herself was wondering when and where her peaceful life as a painter went spiraling out of control and turned into something she could no longer recognize. Her mind politely pointed the moment out to her and her eye twitched in irritation. Nevermind the feel of the real sword in her hand, a weapon she had supposedly used to ruthlessly murder hundreds of people with. Oh, her 'brother' hadn't said as much, but she could guess. He _had_ said it was hers, after all, and the others had informed her that her last profession had been that of an assassin. And why the hell was she still standing out here with the damn rain pelting her face?!

Kaoru watched Kyouki's backside tense, then the girl turned and stormed into the house, still carrying the katana she'd apparently gotten from that visitor. She'd had one when she attacked Sanosuke, but she didn't have a clue where that had come from, or even where it had gone. Sanosuke had rid Kyouki of it soon after she passed out.

When Kaoru and the others had found out about Kyouki's past, Kaoru had felt a little nervous, admittedly. She had chided herself on the matter though, as Kyouki hadn't done anything to express that she would willingly bring them to harm. Even so, seeing Kyouki reach for sharp objects always seemed to make Kaoru's heart skip a beat. Still, she had persisted in trusting the girl. Except for those instances when the girl seemed to be someone else, she didn't seem terribly threatening. It was those instances that worried Kaoru now, though. With an actual weapon in her possession, what would Kyouki become capable of?

Michika flicked a piece of drenched hair away from her eyes, chewing on her lip. Honestly, she hadn't expected Masatake to appear on the Kamiya Dojo's doorstep. At least, not peaceably, anyways. It struck her as strange and made her wonder what was so important about Kyou's sword. Had he hidden something inside of it? A note perhaps? A map for a meeting place? Or was the sword simply meant as a reminder? And if so, what did he hope to accomplish by it? He knew how strong Michika's hold on Kyou's memory would be. And by the hells, why did her brother have to be so damn confusing?! His presence always left her with far too many questions and not enough answers. It was annoying! She was smart, she was cunning, and competent; so why couldn't she figure him out?

Yahiko had already disappeared into the house, trailing Kyouki. A sneaky grin had spread across his features as he prepared to barter with the girl for the beautiful sword that now found itself in her possession. With any luck, it would take very little effort on his part to swipe the blade from her grasp.

Misao stalked to head of the group and spun around to face them, hands on her hips. "Sorry to interrupt what I'm sure were very interesting internal monologues, but I have a question. Has anyone seen Aoshi-sama?" They looked at her on confusion, others shaking their heads, and Misao sighed. In a tree outside the dojo walls, leaves rustled too quietly to hear as a shadow quickly passed from it and disappeared. Shoulders drooping, Misao dragged herself inside.

The others took her interruption as their cue to return to their prior duties. Kenshin returned to the kitchen, a frown gracing his features, Sano returned to his perch on the porch, and Kaoru, finding her student missing, went on a frantic, and rather loud, search for him. It was at this moment, that Michika remembered her 'situation', and blushing furiously, took after Kaoru to borrow some clothes.

Natsuo and his pint-sized friend had yet to reappear after falling from the dojo wall.

*******************************************************************

A smile touched his lips as he passed through the trees. Not an unusual thing. He was successful in destroying the organization in Niigata that was controlling the illegal slave trade for the area. He simply didn't approve of slavery. It reminded him too much of the past. Seeing those people about to be shipped off to some foreign land against their will struck some emotional chord and he couldn't find it within himself to ignore their plight.

So he had set about systematically taking down the main operators. Strange thing was, one had already been killed when he got there. He'd slipped in, unnoticed and made his way to the room where the man's office was. At first, he'd thought no one was in there. So he waited a few minutes before making his way inside, to see if its occupant would return. He had not, but remaining in the hallway much longer was too great a risk. He had quietly stepped, as he had done with so many other people before this one.

The difference was never before had he been met with such a scene as this. Blood smeared everything and the man's various appendages seemed to be haphazardly thrown about the room. He double-checked where he was standing; wouldn't do to be stepping on some random organ and slip, now would it? The level of violence was hardly upsetting. From the looks of it, the scene was only minutes old and the man's murder carried out without alerting anyone.

Not one to spurn his good fortune, he simply left the way he came. That had been days ago; he'd dealt with several other slavers since then. He'd even managed to refrain from killing most of them. He simply left their unconscious bodies on the nearest police station's doorstep with packages of evidence, some full enough to bring down even the most powerful of men.

Unfortunately, it appeared his good fortune had been short-lived. He allowed a small frown to grace his boyish features as he stepped away from the trees, heading towards the only inn for miles. In his last raid, he'd found evidence that those particular slavers weren't in the business simply for the profit; apparently, their work had gone towards funding something much larger. However, other than vague mentionings of this larger benefactor, whether it was a person or another group, he couldn't find anything on them passed those mentions.

He circled the old in, heading immediately for the back entrance and greeting the few people he passed, warm smile in place. He quietly stepped into the kitchens, nodding to the resident cook, and slipped an apron over his clothes.

Some feeling continued to nag at him though. From past experience, he knew there could be nothing good going on with this larger benefactor if they were getting their funds from the slave trade. He also suspected that the murdered slaver was somehow connected to this. According to the records he'd managed to get a hold of, that man had given this mysterious person or group no reason to kill him. An enemy of the benefactor, perhaps? But, then, why just that one man and not the others?

The young man tied up his sleeves and, brushing some hair from his eyes, went to work on the inn's ever-growing piles of dishes. There wasn't anything he could do about it right now, so there was little point in worrying about it.

A light tapping on his shoulder brought him out of thoughts. He stood up straight and turned to see his employer, a middle-aged woman who looked to have enjoyed one too many sweets in her life. She was kind, if a bit of a perfectionist, but it was by her good graces that he had a roof over his head and food to eat.

She smiled in that way of hers that said 'why-can't-everyone-else-be-like-you' and held a folded piece of paper out to him. "A messenger just brought this for you," she explained.

He smiled brightly and thanked her, making sure to dry his hands before taking the paper from her. She quickly disappeared into the front half of the inn as he stared down at the note, wondering who it could be from. No one was supposed to know he was here, though, technically, he hadn't gone out of his way to hide his presence.

He unfolded the message and quickly skimmed over its contents, the corner of his mouth twitching as his smile tried to turn into a frown. Finishing, he shook his head and dropped the note into the dishwater, stirring it around until the ink bled too much to be readable.

He was just starting to enjoy it here, too. It couldn't be helped, he supposed. He pulled the note from the water and threw it away, wondering how long they had known he was here.

As he pulled the apron over his head to put it away, he blinked as he was once again greeted by the face of his employer. She was squinting her chocolate-colored eyes at him, as if doing so would allow her to peer into his very soul. She nodded to herself and he began to wonder if it had. "I won't ask, but if you're going south, I'll warn you now. A couple of the merchants passing through say there's a rainstorm in the Tokyo area."

He smiled, a true one no less, and bowed gratefully. "Arigato, Akane-san."

She watched him head off to grab his things and sighed to herself. "Just remember to be careful, Soujiro..."

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A/N: *flails* Look, look, I'm here, I'm here! Whee! Well, sort of... for the moment... *stares at applications she got* Soon to be permanent... I'm hyper... reading depressing, angst ridden stuff makes me hyper... don't know why... I just know I can't stop giggling... hehe. I love ellipses... (you will worhsip Author Lady)

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Luce: Wheee... hyper is fun. Although, I tend to talk a bit much. *sighs* Any other time and you're lucky to get two words from me, and no guarantees that they would be coherent. Hehe. Oo, it the Otherwise category a good thing? And I think it's fine to feel special over being in an Author's Note. When I wasn't getting sleep... I was worse then I am when I'm hyper, and one author finally ordered me to bed or she wouldn't write any more. Hehe. It was funny. That was the first time I'd been in one. Yep. Well, it's not quite as long and didn't come quite as quickly as you wanted, but I hope it will do! *waves*

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tenshineko: *grins* Yessss... Hiko-sama... I had plans to actually bring him into this fic. There were plans... it was in writing... but then the story changed on me a bit. So we'll have to wait and see if Hiko does anything more than intrude on Yahiko's dream. Yep. 

Thanks to Cymberleah, official Author Lady, (you will worship Author Lady) for pre-reading!


	38. Winding Down

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Souken no Shibun

Winding Down

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Saito flicked the ashes off his cigarette as he stared at the dojo gates. _Well, that was a waste of time._ Sometimes, Saito really wished he was at liberty to kill whoever he damn well pleased. Then he wouldn't have worry about watching the Shibun and Sangokudoumei leaders to get the necessary information to bring down their respective organizations. He could just kill each of them off when they stepped out of line.

However, things didn't work that way and life wasn't that easy. It really too bad. It would have been fun. It was still rather annoying, though, that Battousai had simply let the man walk away unharmed. What a fool he was to let that man, a man who would surely kill the red-head's little patchwork family if given ample opportunity, leave the property.

Still, he should have known; did know, that unless the Battousai's family was threatened, he wouldn't act. Such hesitation on the red-head's part would surely be the downfall of the other three someday. Such a waste.

Contemplating such stupidity was pointless, so Saito dragged him mind from those ponderings and tried to sort through all of the events. He knew that wars were truly won by the precious few who struck in the right places. One needed only figure out those points to have the key to victory. The only problem with this situation was that there seemed to be so many players that the effects of such an action would be lessened greatly. That, or someone was deliberately going about, making things seem larger and more complicated than there were.

As it stood, those that needed to be done away with made up a decent-sized list. At least, it was when compared to the amount of men under his command that were truly trained for this. He had to take out the three leaders of the Sango, the active half of the Shibun, and all of their associates within the government. A rather daunting task when one sat down and actually counted the names. Especially when each hit had to take place at the same time.

So Saito waited and watched this little drama play out. He had time... and if some of them happen to kill each other, all the better for him. Hopefully, someone would take out that annoying twit, Chushin, while they were at it. The world was definitely better off without idiots like him.

Something about that nagged at him, though. Why wasn't the he already dead? Surely, the Nentou's people could have easily found him, especially considering Chushin's correspondence with his sister. Why hadn't the rival organizations disposed of him either? Surely, they all knew of his divided loyalties.

Saito narrowed his eyes at the alley the Nentou and his small companion had disappeared into. Saito couldn't come up with any reason why the man hadn't been killed yet. It simply did not make sense. However, it was obvious there _was_ a reason, and that prospect of what that could be did not please him.

Time passed and a shadow stepped away from the wall behind him, eyes scanning the area cautiously. "It's done." No response was needed, so Saito simply continued to glare at the dojo. Chou shifted nervously behind him. "Are you sure this will work?

Saito frowned and turned away from the dojo when he realized he'd get no peace otherwise. "You should know the answer to that already."

Chou nodded solemnly. "Yeah, I suppose."

Saito pulled out the cigarette pack and bit back a curse when he found it empty. Glaring down at the traitorous package, he turned and began heading back to his current office. "I've got work to do."

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The rest of the day passed slowly and uneventfully, bringing relief to most and irritation to a select few. Kenshin being Kenshin, was relieved because a fight hadn't been necessary, so no one had gotten hurt. Well, aside from Natsuo, but Kenshin could live with that. Really. He could.

Kaoru recounted the morning's incident to Megumi, who'd come to check on Kyouki. Megumi was a little upset that she'd missed all the fun, but was otherwise happy to hear that her services hadn't been needed. Of course, her irritation set in when she went to examine the baka-neko and found the girl had disappeared. She'd found her in the dojo not too long after, staring at some damn sword. The girl had taken off as soon as she realize Megumi was there and a short chase ensued, ending with Megumi standing victoriously over a dazed Kyouki. Funny part was, Megumi hadn't actually done anything. Kyouki had simply run into a wall.

Yahiko reappeared after realizing that trying to get the sword from Kyouki would be a lost cause. He sat down on the porch with Sano, just radiating waves of anger. This, combined with an edgy Sano, allowed many an argument to bloom between the two. Finally, they quieted down, Sano mumbling about the lack of challenge and Yahiko gnawing on Sano's head with a vengeance.

Michika spent her time suspiciously eyeing the grinning rurouni as he served dinner to the crowd. Seeing him so happy over seemingly nothing made her nervous in a way she couldn't quite describe and he only grinned wider at Michika's attempt to wipe it from his face. When Kaoru had finished her story-telling session with Megumi, she too had joined in the little observation, happy to see Kenshin using some expression other than that vapid smile of his.

Misao had taken to the roof, mourning the disappearance of her beloved Aoshi. She knew he was here, but if he hadn't contacted Kenshin and the others, then something was up. Something important that she shouldn't interfere with. Still, if she stayed here, he'd eventually show up, she was sure of it. After all, all these people gathered here in one place couldn't be a coincidence, right?

Meanwhile, in the other part of the house, Kyouki had woken from her daze. She was laid out on her futon, tucked in and warm. She turned her head and found that Megumi had been nice enough to place the sword beside. She sat up and pulled it into her lap, unsheathing the sword a bit. In the moonlight, the sword seemed to glow, making the markings on the blade more pronounced. There was some design that Kyouki assumed represented the Shibun. The source of her uneasiness, however, came from the words scrawled in flowing kanji beneath the design.

"_Death comes to us all."_

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Michika seemed at a loss. She was far too used to always having something to do. When she'd been a part of the Shibun, there'd had always been _something_ to do. It didn't necessarily have to be anything to do with the Shibun, though. Their house _was _huge and their father was a cheap bastard when it came to hired help. Coincidentally, it was the same father that decided she would be doing most of that work. It'll help you to grow up strong, he'd said. _Bah, he was just being lazy and cheap._

Natsuo and Kyouki had helped out, thankfully; Natsuo did when he could sneak away from their mother's watchful, over-protective gaze and Kyouki did when she had time free from her training. Masatake, on the other hand, would blatantly laze about, as their father would. Bastard. Must have been a pre-requisite for being the leader.

After leaving the Shibun, she'd started that restaurant. By herself. That easily explained itself. It was worth it, though, to be able to see the fruits of her labor every time she saw a repeat customer.

Now, though, she was sitting on that damn porch, her hands idly folded in her lap as she stared out at the stars. It was boring as hell. When she'd offered to help with whatever chores were left after dinner, Kaoru had insisted they were almost done already. Michika frowned. More than likely, Kaoru had just been trying to get Michika to go away. She would soon enough, but something was bugging her. She couldn't put her finger on it, but some feeling told her she needed to stay around a little longer.

At some point, Sano and the doctor had disappeared. Normally, Michika would assume together, considering what she knew of Sano. However, Megumi hadn't seemed like that sort of woman. So it left Michika wondering about the two. She'd also noticed more than one of the doctor's dark glares aimed at Sano. So more than likely, Sano wasn't going to enjoy whatever treatment the lady doctor had to offer.

To her knowledge, Kaoru had gone off to take a bath and Yahiko had taken to bed early, exhausted from the day's training. Kyouki hadn't come out of her room since Megumi had placed her there. As for Kenshin, Michika had no clue as to his whereabouts. She hadn't seen him since dinner ended.

The little ninja girl, Misao, had refused to come up off the roof since learning there'd been no sighting of this Aoshi fellow. The man's name was familiar to Michika, but not something she'd heard recently, she was sure. It was too bad, really. She'd liked that earlier burst of spunk. It reminded Michika of her younger days when she had traveled across the country based on a single decision. 

Exactly the opposite of what she was doing now. Yes sir, this entire trip was pre-planned, prepared for from the day it was conceived. That the only clothes she'd brought with her were kimonos was a simple mistake. After all, she'd been planning to visit Kyou-chan and there were lots of other clothes waiting for her there. All of them Kyou's, of course, but they were sisters. Surely the girl wouldn't mind. As for leaving behind her bo staff, the only weapon she'd had since leaving the Shibun... that was just a fluke. Then there was the other half of her supplies... but that didn't mean she'd gone racing out of the house at the first sign of trouble.

Oh well, so much for being responsible. Michika lowered her head and sighed.

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"Shit! What was that for?!"

"You know exactly what that was for, you bonehead!!"

Suddenly, the clinic seemed extremely claustrophobic as Megumi fumed, the waves of her anger filling the room. Sano dropped his arm from where it had blocked the flying book, but remained tensed to block anymore incoming objects. He was a bit surprised when he saw that none were forthcoming. Megumi wasn't nearly as physical in her violence as Kaoru, but instead, her words would grow more searing, able to cut through almost any man.

Unless you were an asexual, homicidal bastard like Saito. But that was another matter entirely.

Back to the matter at hand, Sano thought he was very undeserving of this treatment. He had been off doing something good and important for the future of Japan. One would think that would be somewhat appreciated. But no. The only thanks he gets is a "Oh, look Sano's back", "Who'd you bum off this time?", and a book to the head. Truth be told, Sano was feeling a little unloved right now.

"Now look here, fox. I had to go-"

"I understand _that_," Megumi hissed, "but you could have at least told someone where you were going! Or even that you were leaving at all!" Her eyes narrowed dangerously, angry fire dancing in her brown eyes.

"I couldn't! They would have attacked you and the others, trying to find out my whereabouts."

Megumi frowned and gestured vaguely towards something. "What about Ken-san? You could have told him. He can protect himself from whatever those bastards throw at him."

Sanosuke shook his head. "Maybe so, but you know as well as I that they wouldn't have attacked him. They would have gone after Jou-chan and the kid. As smart as Kenshin is, you know he would had run off alone to take apart whatever was threatening his family."

Megumi nodded. "Yes, I know. I just... Everyone was worried sick about you, Sano," she replied quietly.

Sano smiled knowingly and relaxed now that Megumi's anger had subsided. "I know and for what it's worth, I'm sorry."

Megumi lowered her head, allowing her bangs to cover the tears gathering in her eyes. "It's alright, Sano. You're just picking up some bad habits from Ken-san, I guess."

Sano smirked and shrugged. "Heh. Maybe." Sano peered around the clinic, seemingly searching for something. "I've recently come into some money, so how about I treat you to lunch tomorrow? Then you can tell me all about how worried you were. What do you say, fox?"

A smile tugged at Megumi's lips. "Who said _I_ was worried about your sorry ass?"

"You know you were, admit it."

"I was not."

"Whatever you say, fox."

"Idiot."

*******************************************************************

Kenshin sat, perched in a tree along one of the dojo walls. Scanning the street one more time, he sighed in relief when nothing seemed out of the ordinary. All day, there just seemed to be this procession of strong ki's. It had started with Aoshi and Saito's, but both had remained outside the dojo, apparently observing.

His family weren't trained to sense ki's; at least, not the way he was. As for their two guests... If Michika felt them, she didn't let on. Kyouki had seemed withdrawn, but he couldn't decide if it was because she was sensing them or if it was simply a reaction to this morning's encounter with the Nentou.

He truly did feel sorry for the girl. Amnesia had to be hard on anyone, but for someone with her past, it had to be abnormally so. Especially since she had only had a couple day's time thus far for everything to sink in. He had offered her someone to talk to, but she had yet to come to him. Somehow, Kenshin didn't think she would. Her pain was her own. He felt it safe to assume this was the partial cause for her behavior. It was a trait he himself was infamous for, earning him more than knock on the head from Kaoru.

Movement from the direction of the house caught his attention. He spotted Kaoru walking down one of the outer halls; she must have just finished her bath. He watched as she ran her fingers through her ebony hair, freeing it of at least a few tangles before she got to her room. The repeated movement had an almost hypnotic effect, calming Kenshin's nerves in a way most things couldn't.

So much so, in fact, that it took a second for the other figure moving about the yard to register. By the time he realized there had been another person out and about, they'd already slipped through the dojo gates. Kenshin was about to follow when a quiet voice from beneath him stopped him.

"Heel, Dog-boy. There's no need for you to go bounding off into the night."

Kenshin frowned down at Michika, more than ready to vocalize the list of reasons why he should.

"It's just Kyou-chan, after all."

The growing list of reasons.

"And stop scowling at me like that. It makes me feel unwanted."

__

You are, Kenshin snickered mentally, but schooled his face back to it's former frown.

Michika smiled brightly. "Better. Now, as I was saying, you shouldn't worry so much." The Karada gestured vaguely towards the gates. "She's just going to get a piece of herself back, is all."

He cocked an eyebrow curiously at her, sweeping the area with his senses one last time before slipping out of the tree. "By 'a piece of herself', do you mean her memory?"

Michika's eyes glittered mischievously in the dark. "A small portion of it, yes."

Kenshin stared at her with an intensity she was unused to, silently conveying his questions. She steeled herself for what she about to do, but felt guilty all the same. Even if she hadn't known what the man had looked like or what name he was living under, she'd kept tabs on him, just as she had done with Kyouki. His health had been mentioned in passing, something Michika hadn't really placed a lot of importance on worrying about at the time. Which only made her feel worse, considering what she was about to do.

Still, he was her only choice at this point. She'd considered all the others and there simply weren't any other options. Her own family was completely out of the question, as were complete strangers. Or Saito, for that matter. If she was going to give the keys to Kyouki's memory to someone, they had to be know what they were getting into and be able to defend themselves properly if needed. And not be evil, sadistic assholes.

Yahiko and this friend of theirs, Misao, were not suitable choices, as they were too young to bear such burdens. Megumi didn't seem to like Kyouki very much, and though Michika didn't really think the woman would betray Kyou, there was still a bit of doubt niggling at Michika's mind. She'd considered Sano briefly before vehemently deciding against it. That idiot would probably give up in the information in a bout of frustration or anger. Kaoru seemed viable, though. She could adequately defend herself and was on friendly terms with Michika's little sister.

However, choosing Kaoru would make her a target. That was something she didn't think Kenshin would appreciate and would probably be the fast track to getting put on his 'people he would happily break his vow to kill' list.

So that left Dog-boy.

Michika would have been more than happy not to bother the redhead, but Saito did have a point. What if she died for some reason? There would be no one to retrieve Kyou-chan's memory. That wasn't a very inviting prospect considering how many people now knew of Kyouki's past. So she was resigned to explain the situation regarding Kyou's memories to the rurouni, who accepted the information with his usual stoic silence. He did grimace slightly when she mentioned that Saito knew one of the phrases, but she calmed him with explanation of what part of the Rei's memory that would trigger. In fact, he grinned at the idea of what Saito would be forced to deal with when he used that particular key phrase.

"Sessha wonders, though, Michika-dono," he started, shifting slightly in his spot on the porch he'd retreated to during the long explanation, "what will happen when she regains those memories, de gozaru ka?"

Michika sighed. "Honestly, I don't know. I never did this sort of thing before Kyou-chan and I haven't done it since." She ground the toe of her sandal into the dirt a bit, as if trying to dig up the answers. "At the time that I was planning to take apart Kyouki's memories, I thought perhaps that she would automatically integrate the recovered memories with her new ones." Michika glared at the dirt for not giving her what she desired and shook her head. "When I was actually sealing her memories, I began to suspect that such wouldn't be the case. That's the reason for the sixth phrase." She allowed a slight smirk to grace her lips. "It'll force the new and old memories to share their living space, if need be."

Kenshin seemed to be perpetually frowning at her today. "Is that safe, Michika-dono?"

She shrugged. "No clue. However, if those memories don't form together, then we could have a potentially dangerous problem on our hands, depending on which set of memories she becomes trapped in." Michika wrinkled her nose. "For all I know, forcing that could send her into a coma." She turned to grin at Kenshin. "Better that than having to deal with a confused assassin, if you ask me."

Kenshin looked mournfully up at Michika, making her grin falter and slip away. "That doesn't seem very fair to Kyouki, de gozaru yo."

Michika bowed her head and picked at her borrowed kimono. "I know. That's why I'm hoping for the best."

Both glanced over as the gates opened once more, allowing the shadowed form of Kyouki to slip through. She peered about for a moment, seeming unsure of something as she closed the gates behind her. When she spotted Kenshin and Michika watching, she shuffled over, her steps slowed by the cream-colored kimono she wore.

Michika peered down at the lowered head of her sister and arched an eyebrow. "Well?"

There was a sniffling sound in response, making Kenshin and Michika glance at each, confused. Kyouki lifted a hand to brush her bangs away from her face and glare up at her older sister with unshed tears in her eyes. "Why did you have to send me to Saito? He was mean and scary!"

Michika's eye twitched as she watched Kenshin stand to comfort the girl. Mean...? Scary...? Blatantly displayed now was a child's ability to point out the obvious. 'Pink in the summer rain' had been the phrase to unlock Kyouki's child-like self. That Kyouki hadn't come home screeching and throwing a fit was a good sign. It meant that more than likely, Kyou-chan would not become locked in her memories.

Still, the childish maturity the girl showed now could be a sign of things to come. In which case, while life had not just plummeted into the bowels of hell, it promised to be a pain in Michika's ass. "Well, shit."

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A/N: No, I'm not dead. Just incredibly lazy with a short attention and no memory to speak of. >_> Anyways, I actually had most of this chapter done a week ago... I think... but that last part insisted it be tacked on before I posted. And after insisting that, it decided to be an obsinate ass and not let me type it. *eye twitches* I think I may just set fire to it for being such a pain...

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Cymberleah: It's a little late on the 'not worshipping' part. You already have a fan club, after all. *flashes her Author Lady Official Fan Club card* Hehe. I'm glad I got the Soujiro part... really, I am. I love Soujiro and I'd hate to have gotten him out of character.

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Echidna: SavetheTurkeys! It's been so long! (part of that's my fault, I know... -_-;), but I was glad that I made your day. And being evil takes a lot of work! At least, is it when you're trying to be good at it! Why do you think every great bad guy has a paper shredder? Or at least, a good box of matches handy. >=D Hehe.

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MaraJadeBlu: I'm surprising myself as well! Usually, I can only manage a couple pages... but not counting this chapter, I have about 130 pages in 10pt font. I'm quite proud of myself for this! Yeah, I said canon pairings and I'm sticking with it. Even if it doesn't seem like it at times. Mix and matching characters from the actual series are fine, but I tend to be horribly against pairings with original characters. It usually just ends up pissing me off. There are exceptions, though. Example: Cymberleah's fic. >_> I can't really think of any others right now... As for Natsuo, trust me, you'll eventually be happy. As for that one sentence... a typo is possible. I suppose I should have put 'had' in there couple times. -_-; I humbly ask that you excuse my grammar and typos... When you spend all your time alone, not talking to anyone, grammar and the like seem to go into a decline. Hehe. No, you're not **supposed** to know whose mother that was. That doesn't mean you won't guess it, though.

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ColbyWolf: I can understand why the OC's would be that way... *holds up a Magic card that looks suspiciously home-made and starts reading from it* Dark Armageddon. Return all OC's on the board to the Graveyard. One high-level character from hand may be sacrificed to void this effect, however all characters become tapped. *grins* Teehee. *sweatdrops* Ok, I've been playing too much Magic these past couple of days... Anyways, point is, it'll become easier to keep track of soon. *waves a pennet with Kyou, Yuki, and Haru on it* Yes! Rabid Furuba fan! I've seen up to Ep. 15, I think. Although, the reason Kyouki's name keeps getting shortened is cause I'm a fan of only using one syllable when speaking... -_-; Anyways, glad you're enjoying it thus far! *grins* Just wait til you get to chapter 27 - **Of Dreams and Drugs**. I think you'll really enjoy that one. *cackles* 

Ok. I've rambled enough for one day and I'm sure everyone tired of listening to me, anyways. You came here to read a story, not listen to me mouth off about this and that. *cries* I feel so unloved! *smiles* Kidding! Thanks everyone for reading! See ya next chappie!

And of course, thanks to Author Lady for her ever-vigilant watch for my typo demon. Grrr, bad typo demon.


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